War of Shadows
by TurtleNinja
Summary: Six Elementals of Light, Six Elementals of Darkness, and One Samurai caught between it all, destined to restore the Elemental Circle.
1. Prologue: Give A Reason

Hihi again all! Been working on a new fic, centered mainly around Chimitsu and Jack-chan, and I figured I'd give you all a lil' teaser while I work out the notes and start the first chapter. I may be a bit slow, finally got some work and that cuts into my writing time, so chapters may be longer between each other than was done for "Star of the Elements." Enjoy the teaser and I'll be back soon to write more! Btw - standard disclaimers concerning the characters of SMJ. They're not mine. I just wish they were. :P Chimitsu and the Elementals as well a the Star of the Elements, those are mine, so please don't swipe 'em without permission, 'k? Oh, and the lyrics to "Give A Reason", sung by the talented Megumi Hayashibara, is from Slayers. It's not mine either, but it's a kickin' tune...I'd suggest finding an .mp3 or some such file of it somewhere to listen to as you read, otherwise you might not follow the imagery too well. ;P - TN 

* * *

_ *opening riffs* _

Various shots of Jack, Chimitsu, Aku, Mad Jack, the Scotsman, and other cast members... 

Chimitsu wheeling around in surprise, looking at someone, the camera panning up to Jack, appearing to be fresh out of the bath/shower... 

Various images of Chimitsu meeting the Scotsman and his clan, being introduced by Jack... 

Chimitsu herself proving her strength, throwing one of the Scotsmen with ease... 

Images of other cast members standing along with Jack and Chimitsu, then a shot of the opposite side, Aku and all his cronies, fading into... 

_ Memagurushii jikan no mure ga(Hectic time's crowd is)  
Hashiri nukeru machi wa sabanna(Running, escaping the savannah street) _

Jack and Chimitsu run across the desert along a dusty, rutted road, looking dirty and as if they have been on the run for some time... 

_ Kawarugawaru shuuru na nyuusu(Alternately surreal news) _

A newspaper lays out on a bar table, being looked at by bounty hunter robot droids in a metropolis, reading about Jack's unbelievable skill and ability to stay out of Aku's reach.... 

_ Asu ni nareba dare mo wasureteru(Tomorrow becomes forgotten to everyone) _

Jack and Chimitsu sit out on a hill, looking up at the stars, losing themselves in the vastness of space as they talk, though you cannot hear what they are saying, though it appears to be lip synching to the lyrics... 

_ Ikiteiru, ima ikiteiru(Go, now go) _

Jack, at the ruins of his former childhood home, reaches out a hand to a battered-looking and teary-faced Chimitsu... 

_ Sonna naka de nani ka o motome(Because that sort of relationship demands something) _

Aku ordering countless bounty hunters and droids after Jack, showing them his and Chimitsu's images on one of those electronic wanted posters... 

_ Mogaku you ni nukedasu you ni(In order to struggle, in order to excel)  
Kono chikara o tameshite mitakute(Choose to test this power) _

A battle-battered Jack, struggling to keep up in battle against numbers of bug droids, then a cut to him standing alone on the battlefield, the bugs laying scattered in several pieces behind him as a result of his swordsmanship... 

_ Kitto doko ka ni kotae aru umarete kita kotae ga(For surely somewhere an answer is being born, the answer is north) _

Jack and Chimitsu, traveling into the frozen north, apparently in seach of answers from a distant, isolated being... 

_ Hito wa minna sore o motome(It demands that everyone's a person) _

Everyone, from the tribe, to the dogs, to the Scotsman's clan, all uniting against Aku at Jack and Chimitsu's lead... 

_ Yarusenai nogasenai yume ni mukau no(Helplessness does not set free the dream I approach) _

Jack slamming his blade into the ground in frustration with an unheard yell, flashbacks of his childhood and lost family and home of the past... 

_ Kizutsuku koto wa kowakunai dakedo keshite tsuyokunai(I'm not afraid to experience pain, however, never will I not grow stronger) _

Chimitsu holding a beaten, battered, bloody Jack, glaring towards an unseen enemy off to her side angrily, furiously, eyes sparking.... 

_ Tada nani mo shinai mama de kuyandari wa shitakunai(Only nothing does not occasionally do it because mourning is not preparation) _

Jack laying out a map before the Scotsman, a Woolie, and a few others, apparently pointing to a location, possibly Aku's lair, Chimitsu is oddly absent... 

_ Here we go! Go! Hashiri tsuzukeru dare ni mo tomerare wa shinai(Here we go! Go! I continue to run and don't stop for anybody) _

Mad Jack, in biker mode, speeding along a deserted street, flanked at each side by two bounty hunters, aiming guns at him...he grins at them and pops a wheelie as they start shooting, taking each other out instead of him... 

_ Mirai no jibun e to give a reason for life todoketai(I want to reach my future self and give them a reason for life) _

Jack coming up behind Chimitsu, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder through her wings, pulling her close, saying unheard words to her, seemingly in sync with the music lyrics... 

_ *riff* _

Various images of Jack and Chimitsu sparring... 

A few shots of Mad Jack in a bar, a shadowy silhouette identical to Chimitsu's sitting off in the shadows next to him... 

_ Hakarishirenai ooki na yami ga(Unfathomable, great darkness is)  
Oto o tatete mukattekite mo(Building and going toward sound) _

Aku, in the form of a great shadow, heading from his castle towards where Jack and another, possibly Mad Jack, are fighting... 

_ Asa ga kureba dareka ga ireba(If tomorrow gets darker, if someone is let in) _

A woman that appears to be Chimitsu with black wings, kneels before Aku, either awaiting orders or begging for forgiveness from him... 

_ Kokoro ni aru zetsubou wa keseru(For the heart to live, despair is changed) _

A frustrated Jack pulling himself up off the ground, leaning on his sword, pulling it out of the ground, driving himself on, the Star of the Elements around his neck, going from very dim, to glowing brightly with his determination... 

_ Motto tsuyoku imeeji shite hohoenderu jibun o(Imagine a stronger, smiling self)  
Shinjiteiru omoi sore ga(That is the believing memory) _

Jack looking rather frustrated and worn out, eyes closing, thinking back to his childhood, young Jack smiling as he hugs his mother... 

_ Nani yori mo dare yori mo yume ni chikazuku(Out of what and who that gets closer to the dream) _

Chimitsu, Jack, and a few others who made it through a heavy first wave of droids, approaching Aku's castle, Aku looming overhead, all of them looking determined... 

_ Gooru ni motaretari shinai tatoe, tadoritsuitatte(Although I am struggling to not rely on my goals) _

Jack leaning against a tree, thinking first of his family, although he pushes it out of his mind... 

_ Atarashii yume ga kitto watashi no senaka osu kara(The new dream is surely from my back's support) _

Jack slowly looks up, the image of his family being replaced by an image of Chimitsu's cheerful, laughing face... 

_ Here we go! Go! Hashiri tsuzukeru dare ni mo tomerare wa shinai(Here we go! Go! I continue to run and don't stop for anybody) _

Chimitsu rushing into battle, brandishing a 5' long nodachi, her preferred choice of weapon, cutting down bounty hunter robots... 

_ Mirai no jibun e to give a reason for life todoketai(I want to reach my future self and give them a reason for life) _

A shot of some graves, though we don't know whose, then cut to Jack, filled with a battle rage, leaping towards Aku to cut him down... 

_ *Interlude/riff* _

Jack and Chimitsu, walking along, the backgrounds changing behind them from desert, to tundra, to metropolis, to jungle... 

_ Kitto doko ka ni kotae aru umarete kita kotae ga(For surely somewhere an answer is being born, the answer is north) _

Jack, traveling alone towards another forboding destination, apparently in search of Chimitsu... 

_ Hito wa minna sore o motome(It demands that everyone's a person) _

Another shot of a number of races rising up in rebellion against Aku and his bounty hunters, who seem to be wanting to retreat, but can't... 

_ Yarusenai nogasenai yume ni mukau no(Helplessness does not set free the dream I approach) _

A furious Chimitsu, breaking free of two would-be captors, taking to the air with her white wings spread, her nodachi blade in hand, rising high above them in escape... 

_ Kizutsuku koto wa kowakunai dakedo keshite tsuyokunai(I'm not afraid to experience pain, however, never will I not grow stronger) _

Mad Jack slapping Chimitsu hard across the face, Chimitsu looking back at him, glaring, eyes sparking hatred and defiance at him... 

_ Tada nani mo shinai mama de kuyandari wa shitakunai(Only nothing does not occasionally do it because mourning is not preparation) _

Aku stroking his beard, appearing deep in thought, an image of Jack and Chimitsu on his little screen behind him... 

_ Here we go! Go! Hashiri tsuzukeru dare ni mo tomerare wa shinai(Here we go! Go! I continue to run and don't stop for anybody) _

Mad Jack, shirt off, hair down, slamming a woman that looks like Chimitsu up against the wall, kissing her savagely in what appears to be the beginnings of a love scene... 

_ Mirai no jibun e to give a reason for life todoketai(I want to reach my future self and give them a reason for life) _

Jack slowly pulling Chimitsu in for a kiss, her wings extending and wrapping around them, blocking the view shortly after their lips meet... 

_ *ending riffs* _

Another shot of Mad Jack on his bike, speeding down a deserted highway, leaving some pursuers in the dust... 

Jack and Mad Jack fighting, sparks flying from their blades, both wounded in places... 

And finally, fading out on Jack walking along, alone, off into the distant dawn, sword at his side, off into another adventure.... 


	2. Ichi: To View The Past With Nostalgia

Blech! Ok, lol, sorry for the delay and for the sudden revision. I wrote the original chapter 1, decided shortly after that it was too rushed and muddled due to work and me not focusing as I should have while writing it, so...baibai original version and here's the revised version. Chapter 2 is in the works, but delayed because of the rewrite to this chapter and because I am still working and that usually drains my creative energies during the week unless I take a short nap which I've been trying to do and is probably the reason I actually got this baby wrote. :P Nevertheless, as I've stated before, further chapters will be slower than previous chapters, so I do apologize but I haven't forgotten. When I get the time, I will be spending it writing. ;P Enjoy! - TN 

* * *

"Lower your katana or we are authorized to use maximum force against you." 

My gaze shifted from each destroyer to the next, counting up how many of them there were and guessing the distance between myself, them, and a thick, wooded area just behind them. It would not matter whether or not I dropped my weapon, they would simply shoot me anyways, and I would rather go down fighting if I was to die today. Even if I had managed to bring down these destroyers, there were always more in another time and place, waiting for me. 

There were more than I would be able to fight before they wore me down and I had already been on the run for most of the day. If I wanted to live to see another day, I would have to give myself enough time to disappear into the woods and escape. I needed rest and food and these destroyers were not about to grant me such a thing. 

The first one leapt into action and I ducked the razor sharp claw aimed at my head, my own blade slicing it in half before turning on the others. One by one they fell, yet more sprang up to take the place of those that had fallen at my hand. Oil slicked the ground, making it harder and harder to keep my footing until finally, I slammed hard into the ground, landing on what had once been a third of a bug destroyer. 

I slipped and slid as I struggled to regain my balance, ignoring the pain coursing down my leg. I had no time to worry about how much it hurt, but whether or not I was going to survive this encounter. Yet all that struggling did nothing but land me on my back, looking up at a spinning rotary blade only a foot or two from my chest and it was coming down fast. 

At the last moment, I rolled out of the way and found a solid foothold, pulling myself up in time to watch the spinning blade sink into the ground in a shower of sparks. Not wanting its robotic owner to get a chance to attack again, I swung around, first separating the arm from the rest of it before slicing the creature into pieces. I had now closed part of the gap, but there were still a great many destroyers and a fair distance between myself and the woods. 

The others began to advance once more, some slipping over their fallen companions, others not even noticing. I had to find some sort of point to strike to distract them long enough to escape, some sort of weakness or way to cause an explosion of some sort. I scanned them over, looking for an opportunity to strike. 

Eventually, I found it in an explosive-laden destroyer to the left, one of the few left in the group with something called rocket launchers. I quickly launched myself towards it, drawing a few out of formation and over towards me as I slashed down, striking the fuel tank and a few electronic wires. One spark was all that would be needed and these creatures could easily supply such a catalyst. 

Once I had struck, I knew from previous battles that I would only have a split second to react and get out of the way before it would explode, taking anything in range out with it. I spun around, cut down two more, and leapt over a third before the spark ignited the fuel tank, setting off a deafening explosion. 

The shockwave struck me from behind with a jarring force that slammed me into the ground hard enough to leave me stunned for a brief moment. My head spun and for a few seconds, I actually felt sick. My back burned as I pulled myself to my feet and I could feel blood trickling down the lower half towards the back of my legs. 

Ignoring the pain in favor of a momentary distraction, I pulled myself to my feet and ran towards the trees, hurrying inside. It would not take long to find adequate cover to hide out of sight from them in and I quickly disappeared in the thick cover of a tree, hiding amongst the branches. I could hear them in the distance at the edge of the woods, debating on whether or not they could follow. 

I waited patiently before I heard them retreat, deciding to hunt me another day, and I sighed softly, resting my forehead against a branch while I caught my breath. A few moments after that, I crawled back down and continued on my way, knowing that to stay in one place too long was to sign my death warrant and I was not about to do that. As soon as I managed to get down to the ground, I paused a moment to take a look at my leg, finding a large gash down the back of my calf. 

I sighed softly and sliced off a strip from the bottom of my kimono to use as a temporary bandage before heading off to find water. Oil was quite painful when it got into a wound and I needed to clean off what I had slipped in during the fight. I knew that trees would not grow without a source of water nearby so all it would take was a bit of time and a bit of searching through these trees to find it. 

Eventually I emerged on the other side of the woods to a grassy field and a stream running not far away. I knelt down and drank before proceeding to wash myself off, taking special care with the gash on my leg. Sitting back, I looked around and realized that this area seemed quite familiar, as if I had somehow been here before. 

Slowly, I stood and began to follow the stream's flow through the grasses until I bumped into a very old stone statue in the shape of a dragon. My eyes widened when I realized that this was the crumbling guardian that stood near the ruins of my childhood home, wondering how I could have been drawn back here when I had never visited anyplace I had been before. There was too much risk to go back to anyplace I had been before, fearing that Aku's bounty hunters would be waiting for me there. 

I turned and followed the path up the stone steps to the bridge and across the dried up stream towards where Edo had once proudly stood. It saddened me to see my home like this, to wonder what had become of my people and my family that I dearly loved, but I could not let it consume me. If I ever wanted to find out or undo the damage caused by Aku, I would have to remain focused. 

Moving on, I made my way through the ruins of the city to what was left of my father's castle, looking around. It had not changed since the last time I had been here in this future some odd months ago, still crumbling and in disrepair. Slowly, I reached up to gently touch the burned, crumbling wall, feeling something slip from my kimono sleeve and bump against my foot, rolling along the ground a few feet away. 

Looking down, I spotted the aged ball that had once been a favorite childhood toy of mine. I had found it the last time I had been here, even though it should have long-since disintegrated with time. Like me, it was a survivor of time's cruel hand, seeing a world it was never meant to see. 

As I bent down to pick up the worn ball, my eyes caught a slight movement ahead, just beyond a large, toppled pillar. I slowly slipped the ball back into my kimono before reaching for my katana, waiting for a destroyer or bounty hunter to strike. But it never came. 

Once more I saw movement, only this time it appeared to be a large, white wing moving. Or what had once been a large, white wing. What was left of it was a few feathers and a broken armlike appendage, all of it splattered with blood as if it had been torn apart. 

I moved closer to see what it was, ready for an attack, but once again, it never came. As I approached, I realized that there was a woman attached to the wing, huddled in a ball behind the pillar. I released the handle of my katana, knowing that it was unlikely she could or would attack me. She appeared to not only have had her wings ripped apart, but the rest of her appeared to be battered as well. 

"Miss?" I asked tentatively. 

The silent sobbing stopped and she looked up at me with a tear-streaked expression. She blinked for a moment before wiping at her eyes with tattered sleeves, trying to get a better look at me. Once she had managed to satisfactorily dry her eyes, they widened in what was clearly shock and a hint of recognition just beyond that. 

"Are you all right?" I asked again, kneeling down to her level. 

She rubbed at her eyes and blinked at me in disbelief, the emerald orbs shimmering with hope now. 

"It's you! It's really you!" 

I blinked and took a step back in surprise at her sudden outburst. I suppose that with Aku plastering my face on wanted posters all over this world, I was not entirely surprised to hear that she recognized me, but I had a feeling that her recognition went beyond those posters. I could see it in her eyes and that was what took me by surprise beyond the outburst. 

"You...know me?" I asked. 

"Of course, silly! Everybody knows _you_, Jack." 

I sighed, knowing that was true, particularly when my day-to-day life regularly involved fending off money-hungry bounty hunters out to cash in on my head. 

"True, but why do you not attack or run like the others? Usually strangers I meet are bounty hunters out for blood or people too afraid of Aku to associate with me for long." I said quietly. 

Instead of being even remotely offended, she simply giggled. 

"Why should I hunt or fear you when I have been waiting here for you?" she asked. 

I blinked and looked at her in disbelief. Never before had I ever heard of anyone actually waiting to meet me before. Perhaps the occasional admiring child, but never an adult. There was something about her, but it did not seem to be anything to concern myself with. 

"Waiting fo...." 

Before I could finish the question, I tensed, sensing that the bounty hunters had caught my trail and were closing in. I could no longer stay, but I did not wish to leave this girl behind either, particularly if Aku was after her as well. Usually those who were not hunting me were those being persecuted by Aku, hence why they usually fled. They did not need to give Aku a reason to be harsh with them. 

"They are closing in." I said. 

"Who?" 

"The hunters who had been pursuing me earlier in the day. We must leave this place." 

"Honestly, Jack, I would love to, but I can't even get up on my own two feet, not with two broken legs." 

I glanced down at her feet, realizing that I had failed to notice that her legs were turned at a wrong angle. If she had been attacked, I did not even want to know how she managed to get from there to here. Now I could not leave her, no matter what the reason could be. My honor demanded that I take her with me and out of harm's way. 

Kneeling down once more, I scooped her up as gently as I could before taking off in a run, hurrying out of there as quickly as I could. Trained as I was, her weight would slow me a bit and I could not afford to waste any time and allow them to catch up with us. I could hear the engines of their mechanical chariots not far off in the distance and picked up speed, hoping I would be able to lose them. 

Unfortunately for the two of us, we were in a very open area and that would give them plenty of room to not only catch us, but to shoot at us. I needed to find another place to escape in, for I would not be able to fight now that I had someone else besides myself with, a someone who could not defend herself in such a condition. She held on tightly, not making a single sound, but it was clear from the expression on her face that the running was hurting her. 

I tried to remember the landscape near the former city, knowing that there was a chance that things would not be as I remembered them in a world controlled by Aku. Still, I would have to try and hope for the best. I headed for a river that I remembered to be nearby, hoping that it would still be there and not be dried up like the stream where I had once fed fish as a child. 

Not far behind, I could hear the whirring motors of the destroyers and bounty hunters and ahead, I heard the sound of rushing water. By some stroke of good fortune, the river still existed where I remembered it to be and I knew that we would have a chance to escape if we could make it across. Unless any of the robotic creatures had flight abilities, they would not be able to get across for a number of miles and by then, we would be long gone. 

I dashed for the water, hoping that the current would not be too strong for us to cross through. The water was icy cold as I splashed in with the girl in my arms, knowing that they were coming too fast to allow myself any sort of hesitation. The girl's grip tightened around my shoulders almost painfully as she hung on, not wanting to be swept away by the current. In her condition, she would not be able to kick her legs to keep herself afloat and would quickly drown as a result. 

As I began to wade into deeper waters, something bit into my calf, just below my knee, taking me off my feet instantly. Throbbing waves of burning pain raced along my leg as we fell in, my hands slipping in their grip on the winged girl. I swore softly under my breath in my native Japanese a split second before plunging beneath the icy waters and being swept away by the currents. 

For a few moments, I had lost track of where the girl was, fearing that she had been pulled under and taken further downstream where I would never find her again. Ignoring the pain of my leg, I kicked to the surface and looked around, seeing the bounty hunters upstream in the far off distance, but no sign of the girl. I could not believe that I had carried her all this way from my home, only to lose her in the waters of this river. 

But the girl had more pluck than I had taken her to have. 

Turning around, I saw her clinging for all she was worth to a nearby rock, digging in with her nails as she tried to brace herself against the icy waters. I swam over to her, attempting to help her stay afloat, only to be pulled downstream with her the moment she let go of the rock. The waters were hardly rapid, but they moved fast enough to carry us down and under away from the bounty hunters. 

There was little I could do but keep us both afloat, despite my leg seeming to grow heavier and starting to grow oddly numb. The girl clung to me, doing the best to help, but it was not easy with two broken legs and two broken, battered wings weighing her down. I managed to turn to get her on my back, doing my best to swim and stay afloat, but it was growing harder and harder to do so. I would have to find shore soon. 

Eventually, we washed up far downstream in a wooded, but less grassy area, more or less flopping onto the muddy shore. We were soaked from head to foot and shivering, but we were finally on dry land and had a chance to catch our breaths before moving on. We were so far downstream that it was likely that the bounty hunters would not be able to catch our trail for some time. That meant that now we would have to find help, at least for the girl. 

"Are you all right?" I asked her, helping her to sit up. 

She nodded shakily between coughs, her tattered robes splattered with mud in addition to the blood now. I pushed myself to my feet, once more ignoring the pain in my leg as I picked her up, looking around. This area was completely unfamiliar to me as I rarely was allowed beyond the gates of the castle, let alone the gates of Edo as a child. At least, I had never gone beyond them prior to Aku's invasion and that was into the bay in the boat with my mother, not down the river. 

"Do you know where we are?" I asked. 

She held onto my shoulders and looked around for a moment before gazing into my awaiting eyes as I searched for an answer. They were green. A brilliant, piercing, emerald green. I had to pull away for a brief moment to bring my thoughts back into focus instead of being pulled in by those eyes. 

"I think so. Should be a village not far from here. I'm not entirely certain. The village I'm familiar with wasn't entirely far from your home, but I don't know for certain how to get there from the river. It should be in that direction, though." she said. 

"All right." 

I headed off as quickly as I could in the direction she had pointed to, biting back any indication of pain as my katana bounced against my leg with each step I took. I would not allow myself to acknowledge the pain until I had brought the girl to safety and knew that she was going to be all right. I pushed myself on, holding her firmly as I made my way up the bank and across a grassy field until I found a road, making my way along it as quickly as I could. 

After some time, I did indeed manage to reach the village she mentioned, finding it quiet with the approaching evening hours. I silently prayed to the nearest kami that the villagers would give me a chance to get the girl to safety before proceeding to attack me on behalf of Aku's decree. I could fight for myself, but I would never allow this lady to be harmed after all that she had clearly been through. 

As I walked down the main road of the village in search of a hospital or at least a doctor, people began to emerge from their homes, watching me carry the girl through their town. Unlike other villages, I saw nothing of the wanted posters bearing my face on them hanging around. It was as if Aku never existed here, but that did not mean that there could not be danger awaiting us. 

Sure enough, a few of the men disappeared back into their homes, reappearing with guns, knives, pitchforks, and torches. They quickly surrounded us, closing in and parting only to let what had to be the mayor or magistrate of the village in close to us. I stood quietly, holding the woman in my arms, knowing that she was barely conscious now, the journey having taken its toll on her. I could sense the high tension in the village and did not want to bring about a fight, at least for the girl's sake. 

"What're you doing with our dear Chimitsu, stranger?" the tall man asked. 

"I found her like this in some ruins not far from here. It seems that she was being pursued by bounty hunters and destroyers sent by Aku." 

"And what were you doing in those ruins, hm?" 

"I, too, was fleeing from Aku's minions. I had nothing to do with the injuries she has sustained. I merely did what I could to keep her out of their way and get her to safety. If you do not intend to attack, then I kindly ask you to get her to the nearest doctor. I cannot do anything to repair injuries this severe beyond what I know of for use on the battlefield. Help her. Please." 

A soft murmur spread through the crowd before the crowd parted, revealing a path to a small doctor's office. A small child hurried from the crowd and began to knock at the wooden door as I approached, the winged woman resting against my shoulder weakly, her eyes now closed. The crowd behind us began to break apart, the men returning to their homes upon realizing that I was clearly not a threat. 

The door opened as I stepped up onto a wooden veranda, revealing a short, pudgy, balding man with a thick white mustache. He gazed at the child scoldingly for a moment before seeing me standing there with the girl. Immediately, he stepped aside to let me in, motioning to a room in the back with little more than a pair of beds inside and a couple of chairs. 

I laid her down on the nearest bed and pulled the thick blankets up around her shoulders as the grandfatherly doctor hurried in, carrying a little black bag that seemed to be made of leather. I watched him take medical instruments from it curiously, not certain what they were or if I even wanted to know what they were or what he used them for. He turned to me with a kind smile, his eyes showing gratitude for bringing the girl back. 

"Fear not, samurai, she will be fine. You don't know our Chimitsu like we do. She's a survivor. By tomorrow, her legs will have repaired themselves to normal and her wings will repair themselves in a few days after that. She's in good hands and so are you. If you were both fleeing his bounty hunters and destroyers, then you, too, are his enemy and any enemy of Aku's is a friend of ours. Rest, samurai, all will be well by morning." he said. 

I nodded, the relief washing over me now that I knew that the girl I had found was now in good hands. Of course, in the relief, the pain of my own injuries made themselves known in full force and the room began to spin dizzily before my eyes. Not only had the day taken its toll on the girl, but it had taken its toll on me as well and I had not rested or eaten once today. 

I managed to give the doctor one last look of gratitude for taking care of the girl before my legs gave out and the darkness washed over me. 


	3. Ni: Elemental Legend

_"Jack..."_

I stirred slightly, hearing someone call my name ever so faintly. The last thing I remembered was arriving at the village with the winged angel woman and collapsing in exhaustion. But I did not feel at all exhausted now. In fact, I felt quite the opposite, so much so that I did not want to awaken. 

Once more I heard the voice call me, a soft, melodious voice that was difficult to ignore. I stirred again, trying to prolong the warm, safe feeling that reminded me of my mother's embrace from when I was a small child. For a brief moment, I forgot where I was, forgot all about the future and the nightmare world created by Aku. If only it was that easy to forget. 

A cool breeze enveloped my body and I felt a warm tingling against my skin, a tingling that was quite similar to magic I had felt a few times before. Magic. Even the merest thought of the word brought back the chilling memories of all that I had been through at the hands of Aku or his minions, reminding me that I was not at all safe and most unwise to let my guard down for even a few seconds. 

With a gasp, my eyes snapped open and I reached out with a hand, catching a slim, pale wrist in it. A small squeal of surprise came from its owner and I tensed, still staring at the hand, waiting for the attack. But just like last night, it never came. The agonizing seconds ticked by, yet there was no pounding at the door, or explosions, or shooting, only silence. 

"Minamoto-sa...." 

I sprang forward and used one arm to pin a pair of arms to the sides of a slim figure, one hand clamping over a full mouth. I did not get a good look at her face, only a cascade of long blonde hair pouring down her back almost to her knees. First the magic, now her nearly calling me by my true name...there was something about this woman that had all my senses piqued. 

She may not have looked like Ikra, but I had trouble trusting women after Aku's shapeshifting escapade, particularly women that knew more than they should have about me. My muscles ached from the tension, my heart pounding in my chest as I waited, wondering if her voice had alerted anyone to my presense here. It was morning and destroyers had to be in the area by now, but still, none came. 

The woman began to squirm a bit and I felt her push back against me, making it increasingly difficult for me to hold onto her. It was as if her very back was trying to push me away and eventually, my arms were pushed away from her body as two large, white wings sprouted from her back. They were covered in warm, downy feathers that tickled my face and under my chin as they flared out, fluttering a bit in what seemed to be a stretch. 

Slowly, she turned around and my eyes widened as I took in her face. It was the winged lady from the night before, the one I had brought all this way in escape from the destroyers, only in one full piece. Her wings had regenerated and her wounds had healed to very faint scars and her clothing was different from the torn gown she had been in when I found her. 

"Chimitsu?" I asked softly. 

The wings flared out a bit more and she nodded upon completing her stretch. 

"That would be me. Oy, you really know how to give a girl a heart attack, samurai. Good thing I know you well enough to know you didn't mean it or I might have had to hurt you." she said with a wink. 

I was not sure whether to be frightened or relieved or insulted. Being in a world controlled by Aku had not exactly given me a reason to easily trust those that I came into contact with. However, her relaxed expression never wavered. 

"Relax, samurai. I won't hurt you. Just a little joke there. Heh. Good to see you up and about again. Had us worried for awhile." she said. 

"Us?" 

"The villagers and myself. I healed a day ago back to normal, but you had collapsed and remained unconscious from our arrival until now, about a full four days. Between the blood loss and poison and not having eaten in a few days, it's a wonder you made it this far." 

"Poison?" 

"Not sure from what. The blood loss was from the bullet, the food...I imagine being on the run as you are doesn't give you much time to eat or rest as you should." 

"Something from the bounty hunters and destroyers, I am sure. It is unlikely that it would be a fatal poison seeing as how it would be fitting for Aku to want to finish me himself, but it would likely be enough to make me ill or disable me long enough for him to get to me." 

I caught the briefest of glimpses of fear in her eyes at the mention of Aku, but she quickly pushed it away as she folded her wings against her back. Her clothing now consisted of a Chinese-print dress with an open back for her wings and slits in the skirt going up almost to her hips, the hem revealing a pair of Grecian sandals. It was becoming increasingly difficult to keep myself from staring rudely or blushing from the sight. 

I stood and stretched before making a face in mid-yawn, realizing that I was in dire need of a bath. I was still coated in mud, blood, and I did not even want to know what else. I was hardly presentable enough to be in the presense of a lady. First a bath, and then I would try to figure out what it was about her besides the wings that had me wondering just who or what she was. 

"Well, whatever it was, Doc took care of it for me and I handled the rest of the injuries." she said, tossing me something small, metal, and roundish my way. 

I caught it and took a curious look at it, wondering what it was. It was no bigger than a marble or a pebble and was a rusty gray color. It hardly seemed important enough for her to give to me and I gave her a look, not sure whether to be insulted or to thank her. 

"What is this?" I asked. 

"A little souvenir. That would be the bullet Doc extracted from your calf a day or two ago. You're lucky those bounty hunters have terrible aim or it would have shattered your leg and you'd never have made it all the way down to the village." 

"I see. Hmm...thank you, I think." 

She chuckled as I tucked the bullet into the sleeve of my kimono, her wings fluttering slightly as she sat back on the edge of the bed. I looked around the small room, trying to find anything that resembled a bath. I felt a tap on my shoulder and saw Chimitsu standing there, holding out a towel. 

"The bath is just through that door." she said. 

I took the towel, looked to where she was gesturing, and then back to her. 

"Thank you." I said, bowing. 

She nodded and I turned back to head into the bathroom. It was not a traditional Japanese bath by far, but I would at least be clean. There was an open shower nearby and I shut the door before removing the tattered remains of my kimono and fundoshi. With a soft sigh, I stepped under a running hot shower, letting the water relax me as I began to wash up. 

When I was certain I was clean enough, I shut off the shower and began to run a hot bath, letting the water fill the tub. Being on the run as I usually was, a hot bath was a luxury I rarely enjoyed. I could not even remember the last time I had enjoyed one as I slowly stepped in, sinking into water that was up to my shoulders. 

I leaned back against the edge of the tub and closed my eyes, sighing again as the tension in my muscles began to slowly relax away. For now, it seemed that I was momentarily safe from Aku's destroyers and bounty hunters if they had not shown up just yet, but I knew they eventually would. No matter how hard I tried to find such a spot, I had yet to find a place that was completely immune from his influence. 

The oceans, space, the Highlands, even the ruins of my former home were well within his reach. I had learned long ago to not think for a moment that anyplace was completely safe from him as far as I was concerned. It would be only a matter of time before he found this village and either destroyed it or tormented its citizens all for the sake of drawing me out. 

Sensing another's presense in the room, I opened my eyes and in the same instant, drew my katana from its sheath nearby, waiting for the inevitable attack. Yet my gaze rested upon none other than Chimitsu. How she had managed to get in without me hearing the door, I did not know, but I was more than a little ashamed at my inability to remain alert at all times, among other things. 

Slowly, I returned the sword to its scabbard, gently setting it aside, but within reach. 

"Chimitsu-san, is something the matter?" I asked, sitting back. 

"Of course not, why?" 

"You would not have interrupted my bath otherwise." 

I caught a glimpse of brief amusement in her emerald eyes, as if she found my discomfort at having her see me in the bath mildly funny. I shifted a bit to keep myself well hidden beneath the water, following her eyes, realizing that she was not even trying to size me up, keeping her gaze focused on mine. Very few women that ever saw me managed to do that, eyeing me up instead like a piece of meat laid out before hungry lions. 

"Oh, believe me, if there was trouble, you'd know it." she said. 

"Then why have you interrupted my bath?" 

"Because our time is limited and I need to tell you about who I am before it's too late." 

"Who you are?" 

"Yes. I know you've been wondering about my wings and how it is that I know so much about you, things that nobody but yourself and Aku know about you. Before you even begin to jump to conclusions about me being in league with him, I will assure you right now that I'm not. He was the one who attacked me, after all. I have next to nothing to do with him." 

"Next to nothing?" 

She sighed and used her wings to hover up and over, sitting on the edge of the bath beside me. 

"Once I explain, you'll understand and what I've said will begin to make sense to you." 

"All right." 

"I assume you've heard of the Elemental Circle?" 

"Of Earth, Fire, Water, Wind, and Metal?" 

"Exactly. I'm the Wind Elemental, guarding over the Four Winds of the planet. I...had....four sisters that guarded over the other four Elements, protecting them and keeping everything in balance." 

"Had?" 

"That's where Aku comes in. You have also heard of the principle of the Yin and Yang, correct?" 

"Hai. Male and female, good and evil, light and darkness." 

"The four of us are not the only Elementals. We are mere guardians of the elements of nature. There are two others. One would be the Light Elemental, the one who created myself and my sisters and the other is the Elemental of Darkness." 

"Aku." 

"Yes. The one you know as Aku is the Dark Elemental, the opposite of the one who created my sisters and myself." 

"What has he done?" 

"He has disrupted the balance needed to keep the Elements in check, tipping the balance in his favor and thus putting everything on the brink of nonexistence for breaking Elemental Law." 

"Elemental Law?" 

"Yes. We are generally free to roam about the world as we please, sending storms in one place, peaceful skies in another, but never one moreso than the other. Everything must remain in balance, including ourselves. The Law we must never break is that we cannot harm each other. It isn't that we can't physically do so. We have done so on accident in training before, but we cannot purposely go out and harm another Elemental, much less kill one of our own." 

"And Aku, he has...done which of these?" 

Her usually cheerful features became clouded with a great expression of sorrow and her gaze shifted away from me over towards where my ruined kimono lay folded on a bench. With a gentle sweep of her hand, she restored it to normal as if it had never been torn once since my arrival here. Slowly, the pieces were fitting together and I was beginning to understand where Aku and I both fit into this puzzle. 

"He has...my sisters....koroshita[1]...." 

My hand closed around around my katana, squeezing it tightly. 

"I am sorry. I wish I could have done something." I said softly. 

"It's not your fault. You are just one man. You can't possibly be in more than one place at any given time. Even we Elementals, as immortal as we are, can't do that. You wouldn't have been able to face Aku at his full power, not with as little as you know about him." 

"I know little of him?" 

"Of his Elemental powers, yes. You only know him as a power hungry, shapeshifting demon, but he is much more than that. He has many other powers beyond that. He is, after all, the opposite of the Light Elemental, and those two are the greatest of the Elementals." 

"Then what do I have yet to know about him?" 

"All in good time, samurai. I can only explain so much. The rest must be found out on your own. Even I do not know his full power, but I do understand Elemental Law and Elemental powers more than any mortal." 

"If you do not know his full power, then who does?" 

"Only he and Light know each other's full power. They have to, or the ultimate balance is lost. They cannot be destroyed by any Elemental or each other. As much as Aku hates it, he knows that he can't lay a hand on Light." 

"What happens if he tries?" 

"We don't know. He's never had the balls to try before and Light, well, she's good, so she's not stupid enough to try and let Evil win." 

I furrowed my brow, not sure that I liked where this was heading. If an Elemental could not destroy him, then what could I do? Was my entire quest for naught? 

"Can he be destroyed at all?" I asked. 

"Of course. All of us can, save for Light. If Aku were to get out of hand as he has done, he can be terminated and a new Dark Elemental created to replace him and keep the balance. It's been done before. You think Aku's the first Dark Elemental we've had?" 

I blinked. He was not the first? I did not even want to think of what his predecessors were like. 

"What incarnation of the Dark Elemental is he?" 

"Try the fourth. There were three others before him and while he ain't the worst, he's definitely the most psychotic and ambitious and clever of the four. He hasn't used brute strength to try and conquer the Elemental Circle like his three predecessors did. He's smarter and that's what makes him more dangerous. He's dangerous to everyone but Light herself. That's the other Elemental Law that's impossible to break. While Aku could physically harm us and has dared to kill my four sisters and try to take my life as well, there's no way he'll be able to take down Light." 

"Without Light, there can be no Darkness." 

"Bingo. He'd destroy himself." 

"But without him, would Light not be destroyed as well?" 

"Oddly enough, no, but she would have to create another Dark Elemental to keep everything in balance. I haven't a clue why, that's just what I've been told. You'd have to ask her and there's no guarantee that you will ever see her or that she'd ever tell you much either." 

"I see. So tell me, if an Elemental cannot destroy Aku, who can?" 

"Glad you finally asked that question, Jack. That, my dear samurai, is where you come in." 

"Oh?" 

She smiled and reached out, taking ahold of my katana and withdrawing it from its sheath. 

"Did you honestly think that this mystical katana came from mere mortal hands? I think not. The three monks that forged this blade for your father's family to fight the Dark Elemental whenever he began his attempts to conquer the Elemental Circle were avatars of my sister, Metal. She had knowledge of swordmaking and the martial arts and infused a blade with a bit of her own magic to keep it from breaking easily and Light gave it the ability to destroy the Dark Elemental if it was ever needed. She couldn't destroy him directly, but the right amount of her power infused with an weapon in the hands of a mortal could do so." 

"My sword." 

"Yes. She saw the purity of the hearts of your family's line and knew your heart would be just as pure, hence why the six of us decided to create the sword. Aku doesn't have a clue that we were behind it. He doesn't know that we were the ones who sought out a member of your family to destroy his predecessors, why we sought you out now. We initially created it to only seal away the Dark Elementals, but after each of the seals were weak and the Dark Elemental eventually had to be destroyed, Light infused it with enough power to destroy him without it being her hand that directly destroys him." 

"But why us? Surely a pure heart alone is not enough." 

"No. It is not. You have the strong will, but will and physical power alone is not enough to handle the cleverness of Aku. That is why I am here." 

She made a few expert slashes with my blade before returning it to its sheath without removing her gaze from my own. I faintly heard the soft click as it slid into place, all without once touching my hands. Even I could not have done that. 

"We may not be able to destroy Aku directly, but nothing in Elemental Law says that we can't help you destroy him." she said. 

"Destroy him? With what? If this mystical blade cannot destroy him, then what more can I do? I have already failed to save Edo. That attempt, foolish as it was, landed me here, in this hell called Aku Earth." 

"Do not lose faith so easily, samurai. You didn't think we'd just leave ya hangin' without extra help, did you?" 

"Well...not exactly, but I am curious as to what kind of extra help you had in mind." 

"Ah, yes, that. Well, that would be the Star of the Elements." 

"The what?" 

"This." 

She reached into her gown and pulled out a crystal pendant in the shape of a star, hanging on a silver chain. It sparkled in the dim light, casting prismatic colors of the rainbow around the room. 

"It is beautiful. Can it send me home and end my quest?" I asked. 

"No. Sorry to say, the Star of the Elements can't send you home. But...it can prevent some of Aku's attacks. For example, if he were to try to send you into _another_ timeline, the Star would block that and keep you where you are." 

"I see. Is that all it does?" 

"Nope. There's more it does than just block some of Aku's magic. It can also lend you the powers of we five Elementals, if only for a short while." 

"How does it do that?" 

"Aside from guarding over the Elements, the five of us were meant to guard a piece of this amulet. Five points, five of us, we each guarded a piece. Green for Wind, blue for Water, red for Fire, orange for Earth and silver for Metal. Light created the Star for your family line, along with the sword, one defensive, the other offensive. While that mystical katana you carry can kill Aku, the Star of the Elements protects you from a great deal of his magic seeing as how few mortals possess any magical ability themselves. We were instructed to join the pieces _only_ when there was grave danger from the Dark Elemental and its power was needed." 

"And it is needed now?" 

"Apparently, yes. I'm not entirely certain because we didn't have the usual ceremony to form the Star. The four joined pieces appeared to me one day while I was in meditation for me to add my piece to form the Star. I knew then that my sisters were dead." 

"Do you know how they died?" 

"No. I didn't know until the Star appeared to me. I didn't even know who did it until Aku came after me to destroy the Star that was now in my hands and completed. He knew that I would be looking for you and seeing as how he has been unable to touch you so far, he came after me, hoping he could destroy the Star before it fell into your hands. Now that I have given it to you, he likely knows about it and will do anything he can to destroy us both." 

"Then we cannot stay here any longer. If we are in danger, then so is this village you protect." 

"Indeed. I shall leave you alone to dress for now. Be ready in five minutes." 

* * *

_[1]koroshite_= from _korosu_, to kill; ie: killed them 


	4. San: Sworn Friend Or Sworn Enemy?

I watched Chimitsu go back into the main room for a few seconds before sighing and setting my katana aside. So she was an Elemental. That explained a great deal of things that I had been wondering about. How she knew so much about myself, Aku, my family, the origins of my sword even. How she could sit there so calmly and not be blushing as furiously as I was certain I had been. She was ageless and far beyond simple human ethics. 

Knowing that we had precious time before the droids and destroyers would arrive, I reluctantly withdrew from the bath. Picking up the towel, I dried myself off before dressing, finding my kimono clean and soft as if it was brand new. She had even repaired the straps of my sandals and sanded away the splinters, all with a sweep of her hand. 

Slipping my katana into my obi, I stepped out of the bathroom and found Chimitsu waiting with a sturdy leather bag carried with the strap crossed between her wings in back and chest in front. Her wings were folded against her back, nearly covering the bag itself, which rested against a slim hip. She smiled at me as I pulled my hair back up into its usual topknot, holding out some sort of pastry to me. 

"Here. You'll need your strength, so eat up!" she said. 

I reluctantly took it, noting that she held one like it in her other hand, nibbling at it daintily. 

"Uhm...thank you. What is it?" 

"Blueberry muffin. Damn good blueberry muffin, too. That's their biggest crop here; all their economy rests on whether or not the blueberries, strawberries, and such have a good crop." 

I nodded and ate as she led the way to the door, reaching for the knob. I reached out and gently grabbed her hand, shaking my head a bit as she stepped back in surprise. I held the muffin in my teeth, reaching for my katana with my right hand and going for the doorknob with my left. 

"What is it?" she asked quietly. 

I shook my head again and motioned for her to stay quiet as I slowly opened the door, peeking out, looking for danger. No honor in making her go first and risk having the last Elemental put in danger stepping out the door into an attack. I looked both ways down the deserted hallway before stepping out and relaxing a bit, removing the muffin from my mouth. 

"Just a precaution. It may look quiet and safe, but I could not allow myself to let you go first and step into possible danger." I said in response to her question. 

Chimitsu raised a brow at me as she closed the door behind herself, looking at me strangely for a moment before chuckling and shaking her head. 

"You need to relax a bit there, Jack. There's no danger. Where do you think I went and got the muffins at anyways? They don't exactly have room service here, y'know." she said with a playful wink. 

"Room service? Uhm, Chimitsu, is this a...brothel?" 

She blinked and stared at me for a few moments as I felt my face heat up with a furious blush. I could not believe that of all the places in this village that I had been brought to, I had been brought to such a distasteful one such as this. A few seconds after she recovered from the shock of what I said, she broke out laughing, gently shaking her head at me. 

"Oh my god...Jack...you think room service is a hooker sent up to your room for that kind of service?" she asked between giggles. 

I could only nod in silence, still shocked at the thought that she would have brought me to such a place. 

"Silly! Whatever gave you the impression I'd do such a thing? No, Jack, room service is where you send an order down and they bring your food up to you in your room. Only the hotels in the cities have that. Have to find your own chow around these parts." she said. 

"I...see....forgive me. Please, let us continue before the bounty hunters arrive." 

I hurried down the stairs to keep her from seeing the blush that had crept up into my face out of sheer embarrassment. Whatever had possessed me to think that Chimitsu would have done such a thing to me when I had helped her? She hurried up to walk beside me, watching me as we headed out of the inn and down the street. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see a very amused look on her face as she watched me. 

Suddenly, I realized that the village streets were much too quiet. Usually there were people out and going about their business at this time of day, but there was not a soul to be found. I stopped in my tracks, realizing that we were too late in leaving before the village was discovered. Chimitsu stopped beside me, looking around as a circle of robot bounty hunters circled in, surrounding us. 

"K'so[1]..." I murmured under my breath. 

They closed in on us, aiming various alien guns in our direction, each grinning maliciously, particularly at Chimitsu. I could not allow them to get close enough to take her as a hostage or worse. I quickly drew out my katana, holding it ready as they came even closer, waiting for the inevitable attack. 

"Jack..." Chimitsu said. 

"Hai?" 

"We have no time to waste with these oafs. Remember what I told you...about why Aku's after you and why he's after me. We must break free and escape...put as much distance between them and the two of us as possible, understand?" 

"Understood." 

As the first few dashed in, I did my best to keep them away from Chimitsu, not wanting her to get hurt. Not when I had found her with her wings looking as if they had nearly been torn off by a set of giant claws. Knowing that, I could only guess that she was not much of a fighter and would not do well against bounty hunters, particularly since she was not armed. 

Oil began to coat the dusty village street as the hunters fell under my blade, one by one, robot parts littering the ground. As I rapidly sliced one into three separate pieces, I sensed another coming in from the left. I swung around hard, taking its head before a blast from one of the others' guns clipped me in the shoulder, spinning me around until my body impacted with the ground. 

I groaned as I laid there, my entire left arm feeling as if it had been set on fire. I tried to pull myself up, to reach my katana that was only a few feet away from me, knowing that I could not allow myself to give in to the pain until Chimitsu and I were clear of danger. My right hand closed around it and I drove it into the ground, trying to pull myself up to my feet. 

_*Pang!*_

A shower of oil sprayed my back and stung my wounded shoulder and I turned to see Chimitsu standing behind me with a large nodachi blade in her hands. A bounty hunter that had once looked like an upright-walking panther lay in a heap on the ground between her and myself, cut clean in two. The other hunters had taken a few steps back, likely in as much shock as I was that this tiny woman could lift such an enormous sword with such skill. Taking a closer look, I noticed that the leather bag had disappeared and a scabbard for the nodachi had been strapped in its place. 

"Are you all right?" she asked. 

"I will be fine, but we must get out of here. They will not stay shocked at that nodachi for long." 

She nodded and expertly spun it in her hand, sheathing it upon her back. She motioned for me to stand behind her and I did, watching our backs as the bounty hunters began to close back in. There were so many and even with the help of Chimitsu's nodachi, there was no way we could get a clear escape route made unless she took to the sky and up there, we would be sitting ducks for their guns. 

"Get ready to run for it." she said. 

"Nani?"[2] 

"Get ready to run. I'm gonna clear us a path." 

"A path? How?" 

I caught sight of a flash of determination and ancient knowledge in those piercing green eyes of hers as her wings flared out behind herself. She was going to take to the sky and she would be undoubtedly shot down very quickly when the hunters realized she was out of their physical reach. Fortunately, she had another trick up her sleeve instead of taking flight. 

As rapidly as she could, she began to flap her wings, stirring up a strong wind and blowing dust from the streets about. I stayed as close to her as I could, watching the hunters get swept off their feet or confused by the blowing dust. Not bad. Not bad at all. I should have known better than to underestimate an immortal. 

Once a path out of the circle had been cleared, she dashed towards it, grabbing my hand to pull me along with her. Even her grip seemed stronger than it appeared she was capable of. I took off running, sheathing my katana once she paused to turn around and face the angry, dusty, and confused group of bounty hunters that were just now regrouping and realizing we had escaped from their circle. 

"Go back to your master Aku and tell him that if I ever see any sign of his presense in this village ever again, he won't live to regret it." she said, a hint of ageless coldness in her usually cheerful voice. 

With a great sweep of her hand, a wind came up and struck them as if it was solid, sending them flying back and clear through the village. Calmly, she lowered her arm and turned back to me, her expression softening, the look in her eyes fading away to their usual intensity. I stared at her in shock for a few moments before remembering my manners and turning towards the direction we had been headed. 

"Are you all right?" she asked softly as she led the way out of town. 

"That was....incredible. Never before have I seen such power." 

"Outside of Aku, eh?" 

"Well, yes, but I have never seen him do such a thing with such unbelievable calm. Shapeshifting, taunts, the portal through time, but all acts of desperation, anger, or cowardice. Will they come back?" 

"If they have any brains in those metal bodies of theirs, no. Come. There's an oasis not far from here where we'll be safe for the night before we continue on our journey to find Aku. Now that I've found you and the Star of the Elements is complete, you might finally be able to complete your quest of destroying him." 

"And then I shall be able to return home." 

"Perhaps." 

"Perhaps? What do you mean by "perhaps"?" 

"I mean that I don't have the knowledge to cast a time spell. Technically, Aku wasn't supposed to have such ability, either, but he's apparently been doing his homework. We can defeat Aku, yes, but whether or not you'll be able to return home after that remains to be seen." 

I was not happy to hear that, but when I think about it, I suppose it was perfectly logical for her to say it. She was only the Elemental of Wind, not the Elemental of Time, and it would not make sense for her to know how to control time. I walked alongside her through the hot desert sands, keeping my gaze on the path ahead of us, occasionally glancing her way. 

"If Aku was not meant to have such knowledge as to send me through time with a spell in a moment of desperation, then what sort of powers does he have besides the shapeshifting and flight and teleportation?" I asked. 

"Teleportation is a standard Elemental power. We couldn't get from one place to the other so quickly without such an ability. Aku's powers are over the realm of shadow and darkness. As you have seen that he has done with the future, he has plunged it into darkness and chaos and he can do that with anything. Where the Light Elemental can bring about light, he can bring about darkness. He can snuff out a candle with a gesture or plunge a city into a blackout, whatever and wherever he wishes. 

"He can also slip in and out of shadows in addition to his usual teleportation. On more than one occasion, I have seen him in battle against people who have dared to rise up against him and watched how he would slip out of their very own shadows to kill them from behind as he saw fit. If there is darkness or shadow to be found, he can slip in and out of it or even blend into it like a ninja. 

"He is also pure evil with no care for rules except his own and the Elemental Laws he could never break. He wasn't supposed to kill my sisters, but it wasn't physically impossible. It was just one of those things that was simply never done. The last power that I know about is his ability to bring out a person's dark side." 

I blinked and stopped in mid-stride, looking at her. Bring out a person's dark side, now that sounded quite familiar. 

"Mad Jack." I said softly. 

She stopped and turned back towards me, realizing that I had fallen a few steps behind. 

"Excuse me?" she asked. 

"Mad Jack. My double. Aku created a dark double of me awhile back with powers equal to my own. He even looked like me, save for a darker set of clothes and disrespectful attitude." 

"Whatever happened to him?" 

"Defeated. He apparently could not stay solid once I realized that he was me and his anger was my own and let go of it." 

"I see. Odd, I thought a created double would be more solid than that and more difficult to defeat. But he must not be too desperate or he would have used more of his shadow tricks against you." 

We continued on our way, the oasis coming just in sight on the horizon. 

"I know you're wondering why I was at the ruins of your home, how I could possibly be there after fleeing from Aku. I know you know it wasn't just coincidence." she said quietly. 

"The thought had crossed my mind, yes, but not before you revealed yourself to be an Elemental. Why exactly were you there?" 

"I knew you would be drawn repeatedly to that spot. It was once your home and no matter what Aku had done to it or this world, you would always find your way there eventually. I knew that after Aku had tried to kill me that your childhood home would be a safe place for me to hide until you arrived. Aku never goes there. Once he sent you into this future, he destroyed it and left for other parts of the world." 

"Why would he destroy it and leave? Why would he not think to wait there for me as you have done?" 

"Too much purity, I suppose. Despite his attempts to cast it into shadow and defile it, an aura of sheer purity remains. I couldn't use the energy to heal, but it would keep him away. It was only a matter of time before you showed up and found me." 

I reached out and gently touched the edge of her wing, finding it to feel exactly like a bird's would, warm and downy. I could feel it twitch slightly beneath my hand before she playfully batted at me with it. 

"That tickles!" she cried, swatting at me again. 

"Gomen, gomen[3]. I did not mean to tickle you. I just wanted to feel them." 

She smiled and folded them against her back as we finally arrived at the oasis. I held back a sigh and twinge of anxiety, remembering the last time I had followed a woman to an oasis. That last woman had been Ikra, who had turned out to be Aku in a very clever shift. Chimitsu was more beautiful than the Ikra form had been, looking much more human than Aku. 

She was a far cry from Ikra, yes, but that one clever shift of Aku's had made me quite wary of women, particularly women who knew so much about Aku or myself. Chimitsu had never claimed to know Aku's plans, but she certainly knew his powers and my entire history. She could very well be an Elemental as she said or she could be an even more elaborate shift of Aku's, despite how I tried to tell myself that Aku would not be so foolish as to try the same trick on me twice. 

I heard a rustling in the brush behind me and wheeled around, looking for Chimitsu, realizing that she and I had become separated. The oasis was not a large one, but it would take me some time to find her again, particularly if she was looking for me at the same time. I decided to head for a more open spot to wait for her, knowing that where there was an oasis, there was water. 

Not too far from where I had been, I indeed found a small, open area with water, where I knelt down to drink and wait for Chimitsu. While I drank and washed the dust from my face, I sensed presense behind myself and turned around, drawing my katana in one swift motion. There, standing before me, was Chimitsu, but she had greatly changed. 

Her hair and eyes were darker and her wings were now black instead of white, glistening darkly in the hot midday sun. Her clothes had even changed to a short,tight black dress that fit very close to her figure. Her shoes had even changed from comfortable sandals to very sharp-heeled boots that went up over her knees and halfway up her thighs. 

"Chimitsu?" I asked, hardly able to believe the drastic change in her. 

"Mmm...I do go by that name, among others." 

She walked over and struck a suggestive, almost indecent pose, the tops of her partially-revealed breasts practically in my face. It was becoming more and more difficult to maintain a polite composure. The arm holding my katana began to shake, not wanting to strike a woman, but not wanting such a seductive woman near me. 

"Is that a sword in your hand...or are you just happy to see me?" she asked with a wicked grin. 

I blushed furiously and backed away, holding my blade defensively. 

"What has happened to you? A moment ago you were so gentle and kind and now you are behaving like a...a...cheap, tawdry, tart!" I cried. 

"Ooh, why thank you! I do so love compliments." 

She grinned again and pushed the hand holding my katana aside before trailing a finger down my chest through the folds of my kimono. I swatted it away, struggling to keep my composure with this tawdry woman hanging all over me. 

"Rrr...feisty. I didn't know you liked it rough, samurai. I'll have to bear that in mind." she said with a seductive smile. 

_"Kiero!"[4]_

She took a step back in shock at my sudden outburst before slyly grinning and laughing a shrill, high pitched laugh. I winced and wished that I could have covered my ears from the sharpness of it. 

"You win this time, samurai, but you haven't beaten me yet. We'll meet again...and when you least expect it. Until then..." 

In a flash, she snapped out with her hands and grabbed me by the folds of my kimono, tugging me into a very improper kiss. I was so shocked by the boldness of her actions that I could not struggle, let alone push her away or strike her down. She held me tightly until she was satisfied, to which she let me go, taking a few steps back and out of range of my katana. 

"Try to keep it in your pants." she finished with a nasty grin. 

I growled softly as she took to the air and flew away, leaving me there alone with my anger and embarrassment. I shook my head and sheathed my katana before looking around for any sign of my companion, debating on whether or not I should continue on alone. Yet, somehow, something told me to stay and look for Chimitsu, perhaps even ask an explanation, that such a kind being could not possibly act so tawdry. 

I sighed softly and turned, heading back the way I came to look for Chimitsu, wondering if I was being foolish to do so. I looked around for any sign of the winged Elemental, beginning to think that perhaps it really _was_ her that had been hanging all over me. Perhaps it was best that I headed off on my own again after all. 

"Jack..." 

A rustling in a nearby bush caught my eye and I hurried over, finding Chimitsu tangled up in its leafy branches. Her wings were white again and her dress back to the green Chinese print that she had been wearing earlier. Odd. How was it that she could fly off and then end up in a bush a few moments after leaving? Teleportation, perhaps, but why would she want to teleport herself in a tangled heap in a bush? Something was not making sense about it and it was beginning to make me feel edgy. 

I hurried over and helped her disentangle herself, wings and all, watching as she tried to preen the feathers with her fingers. 

"Thanks! Now, that's an experience I don't wanna go through again. Prickly thorns and wings do _not_ mix, know what I'm sayin'?" she said. 

I nodded and shifted a bit uncomfortably, remembering what she said about Aku's ability to bring out a person's dark side. He had already done it with me once in the form of Mad Jack. Could it be that he had brought out a dark half of Chimitsu in a similar manner? If that was the case, then I would not be able to trust her, at least not for very long. 

* * *

_[1]k'so_= "Shit"  
_[2]nani_= "What?"  
_[3]gomen_ = "I'm sorry"  
_[4]kiero_ = "Get out of here!" 


	5. Yon: Broken Trust

The following morning, I awoke early to find Chimitsu sitting, leaning against a tree with her wings curled around herself so that only her head peeked out from above them. Her eyes were closed, proving that she was sound asleep. I sighed with relief and stood, stretching before heading off to find food. 

As I looked around for any sign of food, I also kept my eyes open for Chimitsu's dark half. Would she turn into that inelegant creature again or had I simply dreamed the encounter? I knew that if I had not dreamed it, then I knew that it was likely that I would not be able to trust her. For all I knew, she worked for Aku, just like many others that had tried to betray me, turn me over to Aku, just for the sake of their own needs. 

Looking up, I spotted some fruit high above me in the branches of a tree and there was plenty of it. I climbed up and began to tuck a few pieces into the sleeves of my kimono, climbed back down, then went back up to get more. I only dared to make a small pile, knowing that we would not be able to carry very much away from here. 

Slowly I carried the pile back, finding Chimitsu still asleep and safe at camp. Shortly after I had brought the last of the fruit back, she yawned and stretched, her wings extending out behind her, fluttering lightly. It was rather cute to watch her just wake up, but I had to keep in mind that she had the potential to be a dangerous foe. 

"Ohayou."[1] she said with a smile. 

"Good morning. Sleep well?" 

"Eh, well enough. Better than I have been sleeping, put it that way. Heh." 

I nodded and offered her one of the fruit, which looked like some sort of tropical fruit. 

"Eat up, Chimitsu-san. We have a long day ahead of us and you know we cannot stay here much longer." I said as she took it. 

"Right. Thanks." 

We ate in silence and never once did I take my eyes from her, watching her every move very carefully. I did not want to turn my back on her for one moment if she could indeed turn into that creature I encountered yesterday. She watched me curiously as she ate, her eyes showing that she had noticed how I watched her. 

"Is something wrong, Jack?" she asked. 

"No. Why would you ask?" 

"You just look like something's bothering you, that's all." 

"Only the usual." 

She nodded and ate the last of her fruit before getting out the leather bag from the day before and putting the rest of the small pile in. Odd how it seemed to simply come out of nowhere and her nodachi had apparently disappeared as well. She had mentioned that teleportation was a general Elemental power, but I had imagined her teleporting herself, not inanimate objects. I could only wonder where they were disappearing off to. 

"Shall we?" she asked. 

I only gave a nod and stood before she led the way out of the oasis. I followed behind her, watching her carefully. She acted so kindly and innocent, or as close to innocent as an immortal could come, yet that other her seemed so dark and evil. Chimitsu's aura seemed to be nothing but light and purity. 

"Honestly, Jack, you look tense about something. You sure everything's all right?" she asked. 

"I am fine, thank you. Really. You need not ask every five minutes." 

I could see a brief look of hurt on her face out of the corner of my eye before she shook her head and smiled. 

"All right. I won't ask every five minutes. How about every ten then?" she said. 

I gave her a look and she paused, her expression going from a hyperactive grin to her usual cheerful expression. 

"Right. Tough crowd here, samurai." 

I shook my head and continued following her lead through the desert, wondering where she was leading me. This desert stretched on for miles and I did not know when the next oasis or where we would find water next. If she indeed worked for Aku, I doubted that she would kill me. I was of more value to him alive and with my sword intact. It simply did not make sense. 

However, I could find out more about her and see if anything failed to add up and prove that she was not what she said she was. She did know about me, knew about Aku and his powers, and she had knowledge of the mystical sword that I carried. She was not an ordinary woman, that I knew from the moment I had met her, but that did not mean that she could not be some sort of alien. After all, when I first arrived, I encountered waitresses with three eyes, so wings would not be as strange as that. 

Knowledge was power and the more I knew about her and her sisters, the more I would be able to determine whether or not she was a friend or an enemy. 

"Chimitsu-san...may I ask you a question?" I asked. 

"Yes?" 

"Where is it that you learned to use a nodachi? I have never in my life seen a woman use one before. On rare occasions, a katana, but never a nodachi. Even among men, it takes years to master." 

She giggled softly and lightly swatted me with one of her wings. Oddly enough, it was only playful and did not hurt. Could it be that she had a split personality of some kind or that the other her appeared under certain circumstances? Or could it be worse, that Aku had some sort of influence over her or was controlling her? 

"Silly samurai....where do you _think_ I learned to use a nodachi? I'm an immortal, remember? I've had centuries to train in the mountains of your native Japan before Aku arrived and learned to use one. My sister, Metal, trained me, actually. No mortal man would have trained me. I was commonly told that I was too small and not strong enough to lift one." she said. 

"But why her? Why would they train her and not you?" 

"They respected her, Jack. She was not only the Elemental of Metal, but she was also a great warrior. Usually they would only train those men who could defeat them, and when a woman of my sister's caliber managed to do the same, they recognized her with respect to her show of strength and femininity and trained her. I could not defeat them because I am a healer, not a born warrior like you and my sister. But...that does not mean I don't need training, right?" 

"Right." 

"Sis got the training, she trained me. Kicked my ass every time, even once I had learned to use it. She was the embodiment of the female warrior spirit, the mother, protector, and defender, and she was always driving people to get better so they could defend like her. It was the same with me. I could not win over her, no matter how hard I tried, simply because she was meant to make the rest of us practice to get better." 

"Hn. I would not have known that from the one time I saw you use it back at the village on those bounty hunters. I could never move that quick with one unless I had years of training." 

She reached up and the nodachi appeared in her hand, unsheathed, glinting in the midday sun. I took a few steps back and watched as she spun it about in her hand expertly, making some very quick strikes at invisible opponents for a few seconds before teleporting it away again. If I had not known what she had told me about her being an Elemental, I would have looked at her, looked at the enormous sword, and politely try not to laugh at the idea of someone so delicate and tiny actually using it. 

"All right. So where does it go when you teleport it?" I asked. 

"Eh, just a pocket of what we Elementals like to call "psi-space". It's difficult to explain to a mortal. It involves a great deal of magic and psionics which few mortals understand. Just chalk it up to putting a gigantic sword into a dimensional pocket created by the owner's mind." 

"And the bag with the fruit?" 

"Same thing, dearie. More than one object can be stored there, depending on the strength of the owner's mind. A powerful mind can store many objects within such a pocket of subspace, a weak mind may only hold a few." 

"Even though mortals do not understand such things, is it possible for them to learn how?" 

"I don't know. I've never run into a mortal with the psychic capacity and strength of will necessary to do it. Like teleportation, it's natural for an Elemental, but a mortal...it would take a lifetime of training far as I know." 

"I see." 

She paused to get the bag out of her pocket of mental space and took out a couple pieces of fruit, handing one to me. I took it and watched as she returned the rest to the mental dimension, still in awe of such an ability. She grinned at me and nibbled at her piece as we walked along in silence towards the south, or what I assumed was the south. 

The sun was hot and bright above us in the sky and I began to wish that I had brought a cloak to shelter my skin from sunburn. Chimitsu, on the other hand, as pale as she was, did not seem to be affected in the least. I would have thought that she would have been sunburned or overheated with those heavy, feather-laden wings on her back, but it appeared that she was more comfortable in the hot sun than I was. 

"You are an Elemental, Chimitsu, do you need to eat and sleep or is it simply to keep up human appearances?" I asked. 

"Eh, a little of both. We do need to eat and sleep, but we can go for much, much longer than any mortal if we must. I eat and sleep out of habit, just to keep my energies up to full in case I need to use them. Never know when an emergency'll arise, y'know." 

I nodded and finished the last of my fruit, following it with a gulp of water from the canteen that Chimitsu had with her. I was not certain whether or not I wanted to find out what else she had stashed in that pocket dimension besides the leather backpack and a five foot long nodachi. 

"So your sister of Metal was a warrior?" I asked. 

"Yes. Hirame was the best warrior I'd ever seen in my long life. Aside from you, I've never seen a mortal come even close to matching her skill in battle. You would have liked her, Jack. She was a lot like you; honorable, skilled, polite. She never went looking for a fight any more than you did and usually did earn the respect she deserved from people. The only one that ever gave her any bullshit was Aku and he gives everyone crap if they don't bow down and kiss his feet...well, if he had feet, that is." 

I raised an eyebrow and watched her for a few moments before continuing on my way alongside her. 

"Really, Jack, you would have liked her. She hated Aku as much as you do. If not for Elemental Law, she probably would have destroyed him long before you were born." she said. 

"It is all right. She could not and what is done...is done. All will be set right again when he is destroyed. What of your other sisters?" 

"Chame was the Elemental of Earth. She could fight, we all could, but she was always restless, couldn't stay still for very long. It irritated Hirame from time to time in training that Chame always seemed so bored with the lessons. Don't get me wrong, she wasn't a rebel who never did as she was told, she just would rather have been out having fun and she had a hard time focusing on training lessons. She was always quite the practical joker." 

"A joker?" 

"Heh. One of us had to have a constant sense of humor. She was the spirit of a child, always innocent and playful, even though she was as immortal as I am. Sometimes it was hard to take her seriously when she was always playing pranks and joking around, but she did have her serious moments. When Aku broke part of Elemental Law and went too far with his powers back when he broke your father's seal on him and sent you here into the future, we didn't see any pranks from her for nearly two weeks. Let's just say that's a stretch for her." 

"If you knew what he had done, then why did you not intervene and bring me back?" 

"We couldn't. If we could, we would have, but none of us had the power to cast a timewarp spell to send you to the future in the first place, let alone go ourselves after you. We knew when and where he had sent you, but we could only wait many, many centuries before we would catch up to where he had sent you, watching painfully as the future changed its course down the twisted path that he had set for it. It concerned us all, but until we could find you and the mystical sword you held, there was nothing we could do because of Elemental Law. He had already broken it himself, if we did so as well, the Elemental Circle would be forever thrown off it's course to where even your katana would not be able to restore it with Aku's destruction." 

"What?" 

"With each breech of Elemental Law, the balance of the universe deteriorates even further. We each wanted to go and destroy him without you and the sword, but we knew that to do so would forever condemn the world to darkness and we couldn't do that." 

"I see. All the more reason to see Aku's reign ended." 

She nodded quietly and looked off in the distance, where I was beginning to see a treeline on the horizon. It stretched out so far to each side, that I wondered if it was a mirage, or if it was the beginnings of a jungle or rainforest. Chimitsu seemed to welcome the sight, a sense of relief and safety radiating from her. 

"We're close." she said. 

"Close?" 

"That rainforest is where we'll make camp tonight." 

I nodded and kept up pace alongside her, hoping there would be water for a bath there to wash this itchy desert sand away. 

"You have told me about two of your sisters, what about the others?" I asked. 

"Ah, yes. Let's see...there was Asagi, the Elemental of Water. She was as isolated as I was in her home. My home resides deep within what was once the Swiss Alps, but now I don't know what the hell Aku has dubbed them. I've heard reports amongst the mountain men that he has a lair somewhere nearby, but as he has failed to locate my castle, I have failed to locate his. Something of a quirk in Elemental Law, I suppose, to keep us from outright warring on each other. Asagi, I suppose, had the same trouble in the Himalayas." 

"The Himalayas?" 

"Yes. Remember Mt. Fatoum?" 

"Hai. I almost did not make the journey to the summit and back down again." 

"Then you remember the mountain you saw from the top of it, the one that disappeared high into the clouds?" 

"I remember." 

"My sister's castle is up there. Aku has a problem with looking up, so even if he _could_ find it, heh, he's too stupid to think to look up high in the clouds." 

I chuckled softly at the thought of Aku hunting for Asagi's castle high up in the mountains and forgetting to look up. As intelligent as the demon was, he lacked in certain areas of common sense, which, I suppose, was part of the reason he had such a difficult time in defeating me. I was only human, I had weaknesses and breaking points as any other person did, but he had yet to discover them. 

"My last sister was Himoto, the Elemental of Fire." she said when we had recovered from our laughter. 

"What was she like?" 

"Ah, well, Himoto was the beauty queen out of all of us. She was always full of fire, full of passion and usually about anything and everything she did. She made a number of appearances in the human world as a singer-dancer in clubs around the world. Aku always hated her the most out of all of us." 

"Whatever for?" 

"She liked to toy with him, let's put it that way." 

"Toy with him?" 

"The thing about Himoto was not only was she the entertainer and beauty queen, but she was also the spirit of love. Aside from our elements, we represented the spirit of something. Chame was the spirit of the child, the innocent and playful one, Hirame was the protective mother-warrior spirit, Asagi was the spirit of cool, calm intellect, and Himoto was the spirit of the lover." 

"And you?" 

"The spirit of the compassionate healer." 

"It suits you. So what was it that Himoto did for Aku to hate her so much?" 

"Himoto was the spirit of love, thusly, she knew quite well how to seduce men. Usually, she didn't play with their feelings. She wasn't ever cruel, but she was always the opposite. To mortals, that is. She enjoyed helping mortals find their true lovers. Aku, on the other hand, she had a great deal of fun tormenting and doing just the opposite to, simply because he despised love in all its forms and did what he could to crush it. Part of his job and we all knew it, but she enjoyed toying with him over it. Y'see, where Light is purity and goodness, meaning love, Aku's the opposite, meaning hate, which is what was part of his hating Himoto, but she didn't help it, I suppose, when she toyed with him." 

"Why did she toy with him if this was part of his job?" 

"Because of what he did to you. Sent you into the future, giving you no chance to fall in love or have a family to our knowledge. Perhaps that's not entirely true that you can't ever return, we don't know. We only know that out of the five of us, we don't have such power, so she extracted a bit of revenge on him. Even when we reached the time when and where he sent you, she still continued to extract her revenge. She would find his lair, the only one of us who ever managed it, likely because she didn't intend to kill him, only harass him." 

"But I thought that was not allowed." 

"Technically, not if we have war and destruction of each other in mind, but for other reasons, we can find each other. Communication, keeping in touch, yes, but usually it isn't with the Dark Elemental. Very rarely do we ever have business with him and Himoto, she only had the business of harassing and tormenting him as her business. Going over to whichever lair he was in at the time, dressing very sexy, hanging all over him, trying to seduce him." 

"Why would she _want_ to seduce him?" 

"Actually, she didn't. That was how she tormented him. She tried to seduce him, get him all hot and bothered, just to piss him off. Have to say, it worked pretty damn well. The rest of us used to take bets as to how fast it took him to chase her out of there. She knew exactly how to press his buttons and I have to say, I do have some amusing memories of her." 

"Oh?" 

"Mmhmm. She dressed in very naughty lingerie and snuck into his lair one night while he was sleep, crept into his bed, and came very, very close to getting it on with him. Thank the Light for Elemental Law. If he could have killed her, I think he would have for that stunt." 

I blushed furiously, holding back a laugh at the thought of Aku coming so close to being seduced. I did not exactly want to picture him in bed with anyone, but the image of the Fire Elemental purposely teasing him like that for the simple purpose of irritating him was rather humorous. Chimitsu giggled and stretched her wings, fluttering them for a bit before refolding them against her back. 

"We're here." she finally said. 

I looked up to see the jungle stretching out before us, a welcome change compared to the hot, dry desert that we had spent the last couple of days travelling through. Behind us, the sun was slowly setting, enveloping the world in increasing darkness. I followed her closely, keeping an eye on her, still not completely trusting her, even though she had shown no sign whatsoever of the twisted double I had seen the day before. 

As we began to make camp, I could not help but feel that something was not quite right about her, whether it was the double or perhaps being under the control of Aku. Even though she had told me so much more about herself and her sisters, something did not sit right with me. A gut feeling told me that something was amiss, if only I could figure out what it was. 

I sighed softly and leaned back against a tree after eating, watching her settle into the same sort of feathered ball I had found her in this morning, wings curled tightly around herself. Our fire had died down to barely embers, the moon high in the sky, peeking through the leaves of the thick trees in a few thin beams, illuminating the sleeping Elemental. Despite how I tried, I could not fight it forever and was soon asleep as well. 

* * *

_[1]ohayou_= good morning 


	6. Go: Doppelganger

I did not get a very restful sleep that night. Even though I had been exhausted from the long day of traveling through the desert, I was too tense over the situation with Chimitsu to rest well. She seemed so gentle and kind one moment, then forward and cheap the next. 

What little I was able to sleep was filled with nightmares and memories of her darker half as my mind struggled to make sense of her previous actions. Each time I awoke, I found her curled against the tree, still asleep with her wings wrapped around herself. I wanted to take comfort in the sense that she had not moved all night, sleeping as innocently as I was trying to do, but my gut instinct refused to accept her sleeping figure as fact that I could trust her. 

Around dawn, when the first glow of morning began to peek over the horizon, I awoke to find that Chimitsu had disappeared. Knowing that the evil double had shown up when Chimitsu herself had been separated from me, I was unable to fall back to sleep, though I tried. I closed my eyes, but all senses were on full alert, preventing me from a truly restful sleep. 

Soft voices filled my mind, speaking gently to me, almost soothingly, though I struggled to ignore them. I did not want to open my eyes and find Chimitsu's double standing over me or have another encounter with her as I did before. Try as I might, I could not ignore the feeling of another's presense in the area, but whether or not it was Chimitsu herself would rely on my opening my eyes and finding out. 

_"Jack.....Jack Minamoto....."_

I did not want to open my eyes and answer to the voice, to find out who was speaking it, even though it sounded like Chimitsu. The only difficulty was which Chimitsu was speaking it. Was it the Chimitsu with the white wings or her dark, seductive double? 

The voice grew more insistent and I could no longer ignore it. It was not a dream, nor were the hands that were gently shaking my shoulders. I would have to find out who it was sooner or later and I would rather have it be sooner and get it over with than drag this out. 

Reluctantly, I opened my eyes, peering through the darkness at the shadowed figure standing above me. It had wings, meaning it was Chimitsu, but I had yet to see if they were white or black. I had a bad feeling that they were going to be black when I was finally able to see them clearly. 

She knelt down before me, allowing the light flowing through the branches to fill the area, revealing that her wings were indeed black and her clothes were the same revealing ones I saw on her the previous day. I mentally cursed myself for not having the strength to face her sooner, knowing all along that she would return and find me no matter where I had gone. 

"About time you woke up, samurai." she said, grinning wickedly. 

"You...." 

I began to reach for the sword, only to have her heeled foot kick it away out of my reach. She grinned and pressed closer to me, so close that I could smell the scent of roses heavily about her, feel her breath tickling my face. There was an intensity in her dark green eyes, but there was a menacing feel about them that was not there in Chimitsu's. Something was wrong, something was different, but was it Aku's control? 

"I told you I'd return for you when you least expected it." she said. 

"You are wrong. You made the mistake in telling me that you would return for me. I have been waiting for you to show yourself again ever since that morning in the oasis." 

"Tch. That was two days ago, so what?" 

"Another mistake. Not only did you tell me you would return, but you returned so quickly without patience." 

"Who says I didn't have a reason for it?" 

"And what reason could you possibly have for making such a mistake?" 

"Whatever makes you think I'm going to tell you?" 

"You are too cocky to keep a secret plan secret for long." 

"Maybe. Maybe not. I will tell you one thing, though. I'd be a fool to stay away from such a sexy bishounen[1] like you for very long." 

I had enough. She was only playing around with me and would not answer my questions unless she felt like it. I had no time for such foolishness with her, not when I had to find out what had happened to the innocent Chimitsu. 

With a growl, I shoved her back and rolled away in the direction of my katana, snatching it up as quickly as I could. She landed hard on her backside in a graceless heap before pulling herself up into a crouch, appearing to ready an attack. Slowly, my hand reached for the handle of my katana, closing around it. 

"So you like it rough, do you?" she asked with a nasty grin on her face. 

"I never said anything about wanting to be rough. You were the one being threatening, not me. Now what is it that you want with me?" 

"Isn't it obvious?" 

"What? Your blatant seduction and trashiness?" 

"Trashy? How dare you!" 

"If the shoe fits..." 

Her face turned bright red for a moment before she appeared to settle down and smoothed out her outfit. Her wings fluttered a bit before settling against her back as she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. I had not yet drawn my katana, only readied myself for the attack that I knew would be coming. 

"Well, if you want to be that way, Jack, then I guess I have no choice." she said. 

"No choice? No choice for what?" 

"No choice but to bring you back to Aku-sama[2] piece by piece." 

"Do that and it will be you that he destroys. We both know- everyone knows- that I am more valuable to your lord alive, that he will not allow anyone to destroy me before him. I, on the other hand, have no intention of allowing him or you to destroy me." 

"So you want to do this the hard way? All right, then, so be it. I could have saved you so much pain and suffering, but now you lost your one and only chance to go quietly and spare yourself." 

"I highly doubt that you ever intended on doing this the easy way. None of Aku's minions ever do. Believe me, there is nothing you or Aku can do to make me suffer any more than I already have." 

"Oh, is there now? Aku-sama seems to think otherwise." 

"Let him do his worst. Even his worst would be nothing I could not handle." 

"You say that now, samurai, but you haven't even seen the tip of the iceberg. My lord has plenty more up his sleeve and to underestimate him, well...that's your problem, now, isn't it?" 

"Perhaps, although if you fail, it will be your problem as well." 

Her nonchalant expression melted away and hardened into one of cold, deep hatred as her wings flared out behind herself. Her anger caused her power levels to rise up, but it also made her very susceptible to attacking blindly, which would make her easy to defeat. I drew my katana and held it ready, knowing that an attack was inevitable now. 

"We shall see. For now...._SHI-NE!_[3]" 

I had been expecting an attack to come from her wings in the form of a burst of wind as I had seen her do before at the village, but the threatening position of her wings had been only a feint. Before I could react to block or dodge, she threw her hands out in front of herself, sending out a orb of green energy in my direction. It struck me squarely in the chest, sending me flying backwards until I struck the thick trunk of a palm tree, slumping to the ground on my rump. 

Baka![4] I should have been able to see the attack before she had thrown it instead of thinking she could only attack with her wings. I pulled myself to my feet as she headed towards me, barely leaping out of the way as another green orb came my way, shattering the palm tree into splinters. I cursed softly, realizing that she was as quick as she was seductive. 

The next one, I managed to block, using my katana to deflect it back in her direction. She snarled as it knocked her off her feet, sending a few feathers flying from her wings. Once more she pulled herself up, a slow smirk curling on her lips. 

"All right, Jack, I'll give you that free shot. But now I'm done toying with you." she said. 

I shook my head and readied myself for another blast, deflecting the first one off into the trees to my right. A dark, sadistic glint shimmered in her green eyes as she held up her right hand, forming a smaller green orb in it. I took a step back, waiting for her to throw it, ready to deflect this one as well. 

"Catch." she said, throwing it. 

This one was oddly slower than its predecessors and I moved to block, intending on sending it back her way with my katana. Yet I should have heeded the glint in her eyes, knew that she had something else in mind for this orb, even though it had appeared to be identical to the previous ones. I swung down, my blade catching it, almost to the point of slicing it in two. 

But once again, I had underestimated her cunning. 

As the steel of my blade connected with the incoming orb, a sharp jolt of power raced through my body like lightning. I gasped, my breath catching in my throat as the pain increased, twisting my agonized body into ordinarily impossible positions. Slowly my katana slipped from my fingers, even though I wanted to keep my grip on it, unable to keep it from falling. 

Forcing myself to look up and see through the pain, I dared to look in Chimitsu's direction, seeing a twisted, sadistic expression on her face. She was enjoying my pain, watching me suffer, making no move to stop the magic that was taking its toll on my body. I could feel my blood pounding in my ears as I struggled to hold back a scream of agony. I would not allow her the satisfaction of seeing how much pain I was in. 

Even through the pain, I could not help but think that this all failed to make any sense whatsoever. Chimitsu herself said that she was the spirit of compassion, yet this twisted version of her showed nothing of the sort. If she was the spirit of compassion, then how was it that she could do this to someone? I would have thought that any such Elemental ties would have prevented her from doing what she was doing. 

Finally, she tired of watching me struggle to escape the magic and threw me against another tree, where I slumped to the ground. The magic she had used faded away, leaving my body weak and my mind hazy with pain. I shook my head a little, struggling to push myself up onto my feet and find my katana so I could fight, but it did not take much for her to push me back down to the ground. 

"Now, Jack, I would have thought that you would have had enough of this pain for one day, so why are you asking for more by getting up?" she asked with a cruel undertone to her voice. 

I looked up at her weakly, meeting her green eyes and seeing a mocking pity in them. 

"Why do you think that I would simply sit here and let you have your way with me?" I asked. 

"Foolish human. I could have my way with you anytime I please. It's just more fun this way." 

"Then get on with it!" 

She blinked and leaned back a bit, giving me an amused look. 

"One would almost think you're enjoying this, samurai. Is that it? Is that why you weren't much of a challenge for me?" 

"You only wish I was enjoying this. I have no time for your games and you are wasting your time in playing them in trying to get what you want from me. Either finish the job or leave. I have more important things to deal with." 

"Oh, you mean that little quest of yours? Sorry to bust your bubble there, Jack, but I can't let you continue that. You've been a thorn in Aku-sama's side for too long and it is time to remove you." 

"You are not the first one to try and keep me from my quest. How many predecessors do you think Aku has sent out after me?" 

Her face reddened with fury and in a flash, her hand lashed out, backhanding me harder than I thought she was capable of. I growled softly as my head snapped to the side, forcing myself to hold back my own anger. If I allowed myself to show her my anger, I would be as weak as she was. 

"Insolent mortal! Do not mock what you do not understand! If not for Aku-sama's decree that you be brought to him in one piece, I would tear you apart where you stand!" she roared. 

I leaned back against the tree, unable to move, daring to take a glance in the direction of where my katana lay, soot streaking its scabbard. Chimitsu's eyes caught my glance and looked over briefly at it before returning her gaze to me. Holding out her hand, she drew the blade into it telekinetically, turning it in her hands before me. 

"Is this what you want, samurai? Your precious little sword? I don't know what you'd want with such an insignificant hunk of metal. It's already proven useless to you against me." she taunted. 

This was more than I could stand. I lashed out with what little strength I had left, attempting to knock her back and take my blade back, even though I knew it was foolish of me to try while I was so weak. She gave another of her shrill laughs and pushed me back down firmly on my backside, setting the katana down to my left, just out of reach. 

She grinned and knelt down, sitting herself down in my lap, her short, tight skirt barely covering what needed to be covered. Her hands lightly caressed my face, the nails trailing lightly down my cheek. One hand reached up, untying the ribbon holding my topknot up, tossing it aside near my katana, my hair spilling down about my shoulders. 

"Shh....you're already weakened, why make it worse? You know that I could do anything I wanted to you right now, whether that be destroying you or taking you to Aku-sama. Frankly, I'd rather have some fun with you before taking you away." she said softly. 

She lightly caressed the side of my face with the back of her hand, her thumb lightly brushing against my mouth as she leaned forward with the intent of another kiss. Even if I had the strength to fight her advances, there was no way that I could, being trapped between her and a tree trunk. I tried to crane my head out of the way, but she simply chuckled and held me still as she moved in, kissing me hard. 

I reached up to push her away, struggling to get away as her tongue slipped between my lips, only to have her hands push mine back down before settling on my chest. I had to stop her, if only I could find one last burst of strength to push her away. Whatever magic she had used on me, had drained any reserves of energy I had left and I could only sit there and endure the shame. 

Suddenly, she jerked away, screaming out in pain. I opened my eyes to find her standing a few feet away, one black wing hanging limp and useless. Feathers liberally littered my lap, as well as a small spray of blood. 

Looking up, I saw none other than Chimitsu, the Chimitsu with the white wings, standing there with her nodachi drawn. 

"Touch him again, bitch, and I'll cut off more than just your wing." she said, her expression completely cold. 

As impossible as it was, there were two Chimitsus standing there, one dark and seductively evil, the other pure and innocently good. With the exception of the wing coloring and demeanor, they were physically identical, which certainly explained a great deal of why I was so confused since seeing the darker one nearly two days ago. If she had been watching us, she waited until the real Chimitsu had gone, trying to trick me into thinking Chimitsu herself was not who she was. 

"Shit! You...were supposed to be gone long enough for me to take him back to Aku-sama." the double snarled. 

"And you wasted your time by playing with him like a cat with a mouse, trying to get into his pants. You could have been back to Aku's with him by now if you'd only stopped acting like a bitch in heat that couldn't wait to get him laid. You do know that purity such as his can't be broken by short skirts and breast implants, right?" 

This only seemed to infuriate the double more and she fired a blast in my direction, one that I knew I would not be able to avoid. But, fortunately, I did not have to. Chimitsu calmly stepped in front of me and knocked the green orb aside with the hand not holding her nodachi. 

The double was panicked now, the fear very evident in her eyes. If she was a true double, then she would be as armed as Chimitsu herself was, but she had been taken by surprise and her plans spoiled. She was unable to fight the enraged Chimitsu and had already been disabled from flight, which meant she was restricted to the ground now. 

"Onore....[5]" she snarled softly. 

She looked to me, then to Chimitsu, and took a step back, knowing that she was in no condition to fight us both. She had no plan, was restricted to the ground, and Chimitsu had already proven herself quite capable of deflecting any magical attacks, even if I could not. Chimitsu herself never faltered, calmly keeping her ground before me defensively, her nodachi in both hands, ready to strike. 

"Consider yourself lucky for now, samurai, but your pretty little angel-bitch can't protect you forever!" she cried before vanishing in a fluffing of black feathers that fluttered to the ground and disappeared. 

* * *

_[1]bishounen_= pretty boy  
_[2]-sama_= honorific, usually used for one's lord/superior and gods/goddesses  
_[3]shi-ne_= from _shinu_, meaning "to die"  
_[4]baka_= stupid  
_[5]onore_= an insulting term, roughly meaning "Why you...?!" or "Damn you!" 


	7. Roku: Reincarnation

**Mad Jack**

Slowly, I opened my eyes, staring up at a sunroof, through which I saw nothing but darkness and stars beyond. Darkness. I loved it. I embraced it. I was empowered by it. 

Rolling over in the kingsized bed I lay in, I turned to look at my clock, noting that nightfall had occured several hours ago and that I had been asleep for some time. Pushing aside the clock, I rolled onto my back again and continued to stare up at the stars. I sighed softly, wondering why it was that I'd been reborn. 

Already I had failed once to destroy my original for Lord Aku and it seemed reasonable that he wouldn't have resurrected me if he didn't see potential or have a reason for it. I was not the only one that he'd employed for this mission, either. Four women had been designated as my associates, all with powers similar to my own. 

There was first the sickly looking Hideri, who disgusted me from the start with her starved looks and clothes that seemed to be two or three sizes too big for her. From what I understood in the haze of memories implanted in my head shortly after my rebirth, she had power to induce famine and starvation. I kept my distance from her, although it wasn't hard when she seemed to retreat into the corner and hide herself within a tattered cloak. 

Next was the dark, silent Fuki, the Elemental of Death. She said very little to anyone, staying close to the shadows, but not too close out of fear of Aku's ability to slip in and out of them. She was the least threatening out of all of them, hiding within her heavy black cloak and staying mostly to herself, almost as much as Hideri, if not more. We only saw her when Aku requested us in his presense at the same time. 

Next was the seductive Netami, Elemental of Lightning and ruler over the emotions of Lust and Jealousy. Can't say I hated her right away because she was rather sexy, but there was a dangerously cruel air about her that kept me from approaching her for any length of time outside of being ordered to. I found her mildly irritating, but not to the extent of wanting to keep her away forever. Out of the four, she could at least hold a halfways decent conversation before it turned into one about sex and playing with pathetic mortal emotions. 

Lastly was Ekirei, the one I wished that I could have been rid of, but couldn't. First off, she was the duplicate of the Elemental of Wind, Chimitsu, giving Eki the command over sickness and injury. Secondly, because she had failed to bring my original to Lord Aku, he resurrected me and I had to work with her because she'd already faced our targets twice. 

Beautiful, yes, but highly irritating and I disliked her from the start. She immediately attached herself to me, trying to seduce me as quickly as she could once I had awakened. I had chased her out of my mountaintop mansion some hours ago before going to sleep, but it was hard telling where she'd gone. 

I closed my eyes, thinking back to when I had first opened my eyes to find myself in Aku's lair before him, disoriented and without any memories of what had happened in my previous incarnation. 

* * *

_ Opening my eyes, I found myself once again whole and back in Lord Aku's presence. Something felt out of place, besides the fact that I was as naked as a newborn. Perhaps in a way, I was a newborn. All I had known was that I was the double of a man known as Jack Minamoto and that I had a failure weighing on my head concerning him. _

_ Slowly I stood, my legs shaking beneath me as I rose. Immediately, a pair of slim hands draped a silk robe over my shoulders, allowing me to slip into it and tie the sash. I looked briefly over to the owner of those hands, getting my first good look at a saucy blonde number with black wings and green eyes. Instantly, I disliked her, choosing to ignore her for the moment as I looked back to Lord Aku. _

_ Without hesitation, I bowed low on my knees, touching my head to the floor in traditional samurai style for one asking for forgiveness for failure. I stayed there for some time, waiting for Lord Aku to command me to stand. It was agonizing to be humiliated this way, particularly before a group of women. _

_ "Enough with the melodrama already. You need not beg for my forgiveness any longer." he said. _

_ I slowly rose, keeping my eyes lowered to a spot at the edge of the deep cavern from which Aku arose when summoned. I didn't dare look him in the eyes, even if he told me to stop begging for his forgiveness. I waited, not daring to speak first. _

_ "You are no doubt wondering why I have brought you back." he stated. _

_ I dared to glance up at him a bit, peeking through a few strands of hair that had fallen in my face, not daring to move to push it away. _

_ "The thought had crossed my mind, my lord." _

_ "You would have remained in oblivion had I not needed your abilities and presense to aid your associates with." _

_ "What sort of abilities?" _

_ "Fool! You possess the dark duplicate of the samurai's sword and every ounce of skill that he does. The last time, you had come so close to destroying him, only to be destroyed instead because you were only a personification of his dark emotions." _

_ I furrowed my brow, having no memory of this whatsoever. Surely I would have remembered fighting this samurai before. Off to the side, the woman with black angel wings smirked and I shot her a warning glance, deciding to deal with her later, knowing that to strike her down in my lord's domain would be an unforgivable breech of etiquette. _

_ "I don't understand, my lord. I have no recollection of this whatsoever." I said softly. _

_ "What?" _

_ He looked me over before cursing several times in Japanese in frustration. _

_ "Your memory has been erased! Something had to have gone wrong in your rebirth for this to happen. Very well, then. I will simply have to restore them myself." he said. _

_ Before I could react, his hands snapped out, shifting into a smaller form and holding my head between them none too gently. Instantly a flood of memories poured from my mind into memory, flashes of the man known as Jack and the battle between us. How I had been born from his anger and Aku's magic, only to be destroyed when he had conquered his emotions. Without such emotions, the magic couldn't keep the solid form created to personify them. Me. _

_ Finally I understood what Lord Aku had meant, but what still didn't make sense was that something felt different this time. I still felt a connection to Jack, but it was different, more solid and less reliant on his emotions somehow. I didn't understand it fully, but if Lord Aku wished me to know, then he would soon tell me. _

_ As soon as he had released me, I fell to my knees, my head spinning. _

_ "Now you see why I need you and your skills, but that is not the only reason I saw fit to restore you." he said. _

_ "My lord...what...else did you....want me for?" _

_ "I want you to meet your four associates, whom you will be working with at some point or another. Fuki, Netami, Hideri, and...Ekirei, who is the double of the Wind Elemental, Chimitsu. Because she failed..." _

_ The saucy blonde with the black wings immediately bowed in a similar manner to how I had done before Aku waved her away back into line with the others. _

_ "...I realized that the samurai had grown more powerful than I had previously thought and brought you back to bring the four of them into their full power." _

_ "I mean no disrespect...my lord...but why....would my rebirth bring them into full power?" _

_ "Because they are Dark Elementals, as are you. Without you, the circle of Dark Elementals was incomplete and they did not have their full abilities and could not adequately deal with the samurai and the Wind Elemental." _

_ "I...see..." _

_ "When you are rested, I will send you on your first mission. For now, your time is yours to do with as you wish. Ekirei, see to it that he gets to his home and rests." _

_ The blonde once again bowed, less formally than before, but still more respectfully than I thought was necessary. _

_ "Yes, Aku-sama." she said. _

_ In a black swirl of shadow, Aku disappeared and the other three women that had stood a few feet beyond the blonde Ekirei, retreated into the depths of the shadow demon's lair. She gave me a looking over before turning and picking something up from a nearby rock outcropping. _

_ I gave her another look before taking the clothes from her, including the sword that was lying across the top of the pile, setting them down on the ground. She sat back on a rock, watching me, her wings folded against her back. I could see desire burning in those green eyes of hers, ignoring it as I untied the robe and let it drop to the ground, watching it vanish in a weak teleport. _

_ Ignoring her stare, I dressed in the clothes she had brought me, slipping the katana into a special belt that came with the outfit. Leather, nice, though the black t-shirt needed a bit of work and I reached up, ripping the sleeves off in one swift motion before slipping it on. I tugged the jacket on and gave Eki a look. _

_ She appeared to ignore it and took my arm, initiating a teleport. _

_ "Let's go. Your castle awaits." she said as the teleport took us away. _

_ It was a bit disorienting at first, but once I had regained my bearings enough to look around, I had to say that I was quite impressed with my new surroundings. Not that it took an awful lot to do better than Aku's domain. It appeared to be a dark Renaissance styled castle surrounded by mountains and had a very forboding path leading up the mountain to it. Perfect. Just the way I liked it. _

_ "Not bad. Lord Aku's got style." I said, turning to the blonde. _

_ She grinned and took a few steps towards me before wrapping her arms around my shoulders and giving me a very hungry kiss. I was mildly surprised, but who was I to resist? I wrapped my arms around her waist and eagerly responded, my tongue parrying with hers. _

_ I could feel her fingers working their way into my hair at the nape of my neck and I debated on whether or not she was worth my trouble. The thought of bedding her was a tempting one, but it was obviously what she wanted and despite her being a deliciously good kisser, I still did not much care for her company. _

_ Slowly she broke the kiss and gazed into my eyes, the lust very apparent in the twin green orbs. _

_ "Mmm...is that how you greet every good looking man you meet?" I asked. _

_ "Only you and that's not all I can do to greet you." _

_ "I'll bet." _

_ She smirked wickedly and trailed a finger down my chest, drawing a small shiver from me, but that was all. I had no time for her seductive games and I was tired from my rebirth. Despite how I rather enjoyed her caresses at the moment, I forced the feelings back and my expression faded away into a cold one. _

_ "You make it sound as if you've got someone else waiting for you up there in your bed." she said poutily. _

_ "Hardly. Not when I've just been reincarnated." _

_ "Then why don't you let me make you feel good?" _

_ "Because you ain't my type. Now, if you don't mind, Eki, I do believe Lord Aku only wanted you to make sure I got here and got my rest. You have done that, now it is time for you to leave." _

_ I turned and headed up the marble stairs to my bedroom, ignoring her expression of frustration and anger. Of course, my words alone were not enough to deter her and she hurried to follow me, her heeled boots clicking on the floor. She was going to be a helluva bitch to work with if she couldn't take a fucking hint. _

_ "Oh, come on now, Jack, darling, is that any way to treat me?" she asked huskily. _

_ I forced back a growl as my hand closed around the doorknob to my suite, pausing as I felt her hands on my back. _

_ "First off, I'm not your darling and secondly...." _

_ I whirled around, caught her hands, and slammed her up against the wall across the hallway in one swift motion, drawing a gasp of surprise from her as she stared up at me. I didn't give a damn if her wings hurt or if she felt like pissing herself, I just wanted some decent rest so my mind didn't feel like hazy mush when Lord Aku summoned me to give me my orders. _

_ "You have done your job as Lord Aku has commanded of you so there is no further need for your presense. In other words..." _

_ I leaned down closer to her, getting up in her face as threateningly as I could. _

_ "Kieuseru.[1]" I finished threateningly in Japanese, knowing damn well that she understood it. _

_ Her expression hardened as I let her go and backed away towards the doorway to my suite, watching as she rubbed at her wrists. She stepped away from the wall, fluttered her wings a bit, and folded them against her back as she glared at me. _

_ "Fine. Be that way, Jack, but you're gonna regret it." she said before disappearing, littering my floor in black feathers. _

_ I shook my head and turned around, opening my doors and heading inside, pausing only to strip down as I made my way over to the bed. Finally some peace and quiet. Hardly taking time to push back the blankets, I flopped down and curled up, dozing off. _

* * *

Slowly I opened my eyes, peering into the darkness of the stars above. No word had arrived from Lord Aku as of yet and I felt no hurry to haul my ass out of bed. I stared at the stars for a few moments before rolling over onto my side with the intention of going back to sleep. 

Yet something stopped me. 

I rolled back over onto my back, turning to look towards the other side. Someone was here, I could feel it. I slowly reached for the katana that lay on the floor beside me, the blade naked and its scabbard resting on top of my clothes on a nearby chair. 

They were close now and drawing even closer by the second. Who would dare to be so bold as to come all this way up here and disturb me while I slept? Lord Aku himself would have sent someone instead of leaving his lair to see me himself and no human would be stupid enough to come all this way. 

I knew of only one being brazen enough to come up here and disturb my sleep. 

Snatching up my katana in a quick motion, I sprang out of bed and lunged towards the shadows, colliding with a slim, feminine figure. I kept my balance as they fell back and up against the wall, bringing my katana up against their throat while keeping them firmly pinned. A second later, a magical orb of light flared up overhead, illuminating their features. 

"Ekirei...I should've known. What the hell do you think you're doing coming up here and disturbing me after I told you to get lost?" I snarled. 

The blonde's features melted away from a startled expression into a smirk as she reached up with one hand, pushing the katana away from her throat. I allowed it, knowing that since she was an Elemental, I couldn't hurt her any more than she could hurt me. 

"Nice to see you, too, Jack." 

She looked my naked body up and down appreciatively before grinning nastily at me. Reaching up, her fingertips traced the tattoo on my right shoulder, a kanji letter meaning demon. I tolerated this, watching the lust in her eyes. 

"Akuma[2], nice. It fits you." she said. 

"Hn. I'd say thank you, but I doubt you're here for trading fashion tips with me." 

"Hardly. Really, Jack, if you wanted a rough fuck, all you had to do was ask." she said. 

I rolled my eyes and let her go, taking a few steps back, ignoring her continuous stare. She straightened, her wings fluttering a bit before folding against her back. 

"What do you want, Eki? If you're here to harass me, then piss off. If you actually have a _reason_ for being here, then state it and get lost." I said. 

"If that's how you're gonna greet me, then perhaps I should leave and let Aku-sama destroy you for failing to answer to your orders." 

"He's got orders for me?" 

"Yes, but if you're going to be so rude, I don't see any reason for me to give them to you." 

"Actually, I do. If you don't give them to me, it won't be me that Lord Aku destroys for it. It'll be you because you refused to give them to me so I couldn't answer." 

Her eyes showed minor surprise before melting away into cold anger. 

"Fine. He's waiting for you in his private chamber. You'll get your orders there." she said before teleporting away, showering my floor in another round of black feathers. 

I shook my head as I was once again enveloped in darkness before turning around and turning on the lights with a sigh. I picked up the scabbard and sheathed my katana before dressing, glancing longingly at the bed and wishing I had a bit more time to rest. But, of course, duty before pleasure and Lord Aku was not one to be kept waiting. 

Slipping the katana into the special belt holster, I gathered my energies and made the teleport back to the demon's lair. 

* * *

_[1]kieuseru_= a very rude term, essentially meaning "fuck off"  
_[2]akuma_= demon 


	8. Nana: Preparation

**Mad Jack**

Reappearing in Lord Aku's lair, I looked around, wondering why he'd asked me to meet in his private chamber instead of the audience hall. I decided it was better to find out than to keep him waiting, knowing full well what he did to those who kept him waiting and it was a fate worse than being sent to the Pit of Hate. Frankly, I would have rather taken the Pit over his idea of torture anyday. 

Eventually I found my way to his bedchamber, finding his entire living area to be modeled after a feudal castle. I knelt before the heavy double sliding doors that led into the bedchamber, reaching up to knock. As I was about to alert him to my presense, I paused, listening closely. Someone else was already there. 

Straining my ears to hear better, I realized that he was preoccupied with one of the ladies, hearing their loud moans and cries of pleasure through the doors. I debated on whether or not it was worth interrupting them or whether or not I should wait for them to finish and hope that Lord Aku would not be angry with me. 

After a few seconds of debate, I decided to knock, hearing a brief pause in the noises inside before they began again. I knew that they had known I was there and this was apparently a sign for me to leave. I began to rise, intending on coming back later. 

"Just where do you think you are going?" 

I quickly dropped back to my knees and reached up for the door. 

"My apologies, my lord. I thought you were wanting me to return at another time." I said. 

"When I say you are to appear for your orders, you appear, regardless of what I may be doing, is that understood?" 

"Yes. Clearly, my lord." 

I slid the doorway open enough to be seen through, momentarily startled by the sight before me in the bedchamber. On her knees on the bed, completely naked, was Fuki, her long hair curtaining her pale features. Behind her, also naked, was Lord Aku in his Elemental form, hands on Fuki's hips as he repeatedly thrust into her, both of them completely ignoring me. 

Not wishing to go through this briefing with such an eyefull, I lowered my gaze to a spot on the polished wooden floor a few inches from the edge of their futon. Getting an earfull of Fuki's loud screams of pleasure was bad enough, but in no way did I want to watch. Though, I had to admit, this certainly explained why the hell we hardly ever saw Fuki outside of group meetings. 

"Lord Aku, Ekirei told me that you had orders for me concerning my original." I said. 

Without breaking his rhythm or even looking at me, he addressed me. 

"Yes. Jack Minamoto and the Wind Elemental, Chimitsu. As I told you shortly after your rebirth, Ekirei has failed twice to bring either of them to me. Now that mission lays in your hands." 

"What do you want me to do, sir? Kill them? Subdue them? Kidnap them?" 

"I want you to wear down and then terminate the Wind Elemental. Without her guidance, Minamoto will be unable to harness the full power of the Star of the Elements and he will easily fall to me. Do whatever you must to destroy her, but make certain she is eliminated!" 

"Hai. I will not fail you. Demo..." 

There was the briefest of pauses before he continued, Fuki making more than a few loud cries that I was certain would be heard down the hall from us. 

"But what?" 

"Last time, the samurai defeated me so easily, even though I was within moments of taking his head. If the magic that bound me to his emotions could not support me without them, then how was I brought back? I feel different this time around." 

"Indeed. Without those emotions, my spell was broken and you faded from reality. But they could not keep you away once you had been created." 

"What?" 

"When my spell was broken and you faded from reality, all that was left of you was a dying memory and traces of your essense. Without a body, you would have disappeared completely, but I was able to sustain that fading memory and essense until you were needed." 

"Ekirei's failures." 

"Yes. I realized that the Dark Elemental Circle was incomplete and their powers fractioned. But we had no equivalent for Metal as we had the others. We only had a little bit of her essense in our possession, such a small amount that we could not bring about the Dark Metal Elemental with it. We needed more essense." 

"I see. My essense." 

"Indeed. Because of that, the magic used to bring you into existence does not solely rely on his emotions of anger and hatred this time. Ever since that day, he has kept his heart in check, trying to keep me from restoring you if it was at all possible. But it was not enough." 

"But if there isn't a connection this time, then how could his emotions help restore me?" 

"They didn't. The emotions only give you a connection to him, to feel what he feels and know how to manipulate them. In a prior battle with him, I managed to scratch him. With the blood that was left on my talons, combined with Metal's dying essense and your dying memory and essense, I was able to restore you. That is how you are able to exist in this world without solely relying on his emotions to keep you here." 

"And the Elemental powers? We both know that Minamoto has no such power within his body or soul. He is but a mortal man with mortal emotions, limitations, and weaknesses. He can be manipulated, an Elemental is harder to deceive and manipulate. Surely there is an explanation as to his abilities to defeat us both." 

"There is and that explanation lies within his heart and spirit and the sword that he possesses." 

"And that is?" 

"His spirit is of the utmost purity and with the Wind Elemental in his presense, it will be even more difficult to break and corrupt. That as why we need to separate them. As for the sword, it was forged by the Metal Elemental- who was the spirit of the female warrior- and infused with traces of my Elemental counterpart's power. If not for that, he would not be able to harm me." 

"I see. My own Elemental counterpart had a hand in it, but that does not explain my abilities, only his." 

"Ah, yes, well, your own Elemental powers are a from Minamoto's Elemental potentia, fused with the traces of power from Metal's dying essense, courtesy of Demongo." 

Demongo. I knew that warped little demon. Reportedly, although Lord Aku refused to ever confirm this, the tricky little shit was his own demonic offspring. From what I remembered in the haze of my memories, his mother was a shapeshifting succubus by the name of Keisei, but whom she was, I hadn't a clue. 

"So that is why I'm the spirit of the male warrior. Part of her essense is fused with Minamoto's hidden Elemental potential. That insane little demon had a use after all." I said. 

"Indeed. Now go! I do not want to hear from you until you have destroyed the Elemental and broken the samurai!" 

Fuki gave a few loud, short screams and I dared to glance up for the briefest of moments. She thrashed on her hands and knees on the bed in pleasure, her fingers tearing into the blankets wildly. Quickly, I lowered my eyes again and gave a bow of obedience before leaving, sliding the heavy wooden doors shut once more, drowning out their mutual cries of pleasure. 

I stood and took a few steps before teleporting away back home, intending on planning what to do next. I had my orders and I knew that Lord Aku wouldn't want to see me until I had something good to report. Failure was far from being an option, which meant that I had better take my time with this or face another death and I wasn't about to die again. 

I removed the leather jacket and hung it in the closet once I rematerialized, then headed towards the study to see what I had to work with. Inside was a vast office filled with books, papers, journals, all on mortal behavior, physiology, religion and superstitious beliefs, even mythology. It was everything I needed to use against my original and the Wind Elemental. 

All I needed to do was find the right combination of those items in my arsenal to use against them and the entire mortal race. I stood before the vast shelves of books from throughout history, searching for something I could use against my original. Something I could use to break him and take down the Wind Elemental in the same gesture. 

I knew Minamoto well since, after all, I was his exact double. I knew his weaknesses, I knew his strengths, I knew everything that he did about himself, his family, and his life. Because of the connection that remained between us, I was just shy of knowing everything he was thinking. The best I could do was tell what he felt and towards whom those emotions were directed. 

Finally, I settled on a book, taking it from the shelf and sitting down with it at my desk. Every legend known to the mortal realm about Elementals had been contained in this book, though I knew that some of it was bound to be wrong at one point or another. Elementals stayed completely out of mortal knowledge, or tried to. Occasionally those like the Wind Elemental would dare to make themselves known briefly before returning to their secret lives once more. 

But this book was intriguing. For the most part, it had it right. Five Elementals, a yin and yang Elemental pair of good and evil, but they made no mention of the Dark Elementals. Not once had we been mentioned. Granted, our elements had been spoken of, but never once had they been attributed to us or acknowledged that we existed in Elemental form. Mildly insulting, but that wasn't what I picked this book out for. If I wanted information on Elementals and their personalities, all I'd have to do was search my memories. 

What I found the most interesting about this book was the fact that it mentioned the Star of the Elements. Not directly by name, but it did mention an amulet of great power combining the powers of the five Light Elementals, though it did not call them the Light Elementals, simply "The Elements", which meant Chimitsu and her sisters. I knew that mortals weren't supposed to know about the Star, much less what it was to be used for, which meant that this mortal author knew more than they were supposed to. 

It even included a handful of illustrations, portraying the Star as a yin yang with the five Elemental symbols set evenly around its outer edge. Looking closer into the black and white points in each half, I noted that the symbol for infinity had been drawn there. The Star itself had neither a yin yang or infinity symbol on it anywhere, only a Star shaped amulet consisting of five pieces guarded by the five Light Elementals. Where it had gone now, we were not certain. 

Our best guess was that it was in the hands of the Wind Elemental and if that was true, then it could easily be in my original's hands. 

Turning the page, I was shocked to see the altar that I knew to be in the Water Elemental's castle, the one used when the Star was in its complete form and could, if the holder of the mystical amulet wished it, summon the Light Elemental. She was known through out the world commonly as the Great Mother and for even an Elemental to see her was a high honor. No mortal alive was ever meant to know about that altar, much less ever see it long enough to make an illustration of it. 

Someone had to have made their way to Asagi's temple long ago before humanity became so technologically involved to forget their Elemental roots. Mortals only climbed mountains near her temple now as a matter of who was the strongest, not to see what was there or seek out spiritual guidance. As it was, few mortals believed in such things these days. 

It troubled me that this mortal author knew not only of the Star and its power, but the summoning altar and its supposed location. Mortals generally considered it mythological, just like Atlantis, but this was one mortal that had found out differently somehow. Asagi herself must have trusted him completely in order to let this knowledge leak out. Now the book rested in my hands and with it, its wealth of knowledge about the Star's power. 

If I could get my hands on the mystical amulet, get it away from the Wind Elemental and my original, then they would be easy pickings for Lord Aku. The trouble was, where were they and how could I get the Star from them if they even had it? I frowned, realizing that this book didn't help me after all, only gave me something I could use if I could get it and it was a big if. 

I set it aside and leaned back, thinking. There had to be something that I could use to my advantage concerning my original and his companion. Minamoto was the chivalrous type, so if I could get my hands on the lady, he'd be bound by his samurai honor to go after her. He was much too dangerous for me to want to go after him alone, much less with the Wind Elemental to deal with on top of it. 

No, Lord Aku was right. Without the Wind Elemental's guidance, Minamoto would be lost and even if he held the Star of the Elements in his possession, it was unlikely that he would know how to use it. I could go after him, but it was much easier to go after the girl. That is, unless they were separated, then it would be easy to take care of them both at the same time, but it was unlikely. Minamoto would never allow her to leave his sight, especially if he knew that she was the last of the Light Elementals. 

I smiled slowly, a plot beginning to form in my mind to separate them and take the girl to use as bait. The Wind Elemental was the spirit of the compassionate healer and bound by her own Elemental vows to help those who needed her whenever she was in the mortal realm. In her own castle in solitude, she was bound by no such thing, but she couldn't go back there and was trapped in the mortal world. All I had to do was create a situation where she would be forced away from my original and I could take her away from him, leaving him to come for her. 

"You look like the lion who just found a juicy kill all to himself." a voice rang out. 

I opened my eyes and slowly straightened in my chair, looking off into the shadows near the door. Ekirei stepped from them a moment later, her heels clicking against the marble floor as she approached my desk. I was _not_ at all happy to see her. 

"Ekirei. Are you that bored that you can't find anything better to do than come by and harass me?" I asked. 

"Well, actually, I have business to take care of, but you know I'm not so busy that I can't visit with you at all." 

"You poor thing. Lord Aku must really have lost faith in you if he has given you so little to do that you have time to come all this way to interrupt my work." 

She seemed unruffled by my sarcasm as she walked around my desk and settled herself directly in my lap, giving me a tantalizing view of a pair of very suggestive thong panties. Her slim hands massaged my chest through my shirt as she pressed close to me, ignoring my impassive expression. 

"Do you have a reason for being here, Eki?" I asked, growing tired of her interruptions. 

"Weeeeellll...I was assigned to help you with this. After all, I did face them twice already." 

"And you failed miserably both times. What sort of help are you supposed to be to me?" 

"I know the Wind Elemental." 

"Uh-huh. I already have a plan, Eki, thank you very much." 

"Oh, do you now? This I gotta hear." 

"I get her away from my original, then I can bring her to Lord Aku for him to do whatever he wishes with her and I can deal with my original. Without her, he's nothing, not even with the Star of the Elements in his hands." 

"Unless she's already told him how to use it." 

"Doubtful. No mortal's meant to know about it, much less its power or how to use it, so I don't think she's gonna tell him unless she sees a very good reason to. So far, we haven't given her such a reason, therefore, we need not worry about the samurai knowing how to use it." 

"Hnf. You'd better be right or Lord Aku's going to be quite harsh with you." 

"I have no intention of failing this time around, Eki. Besides, you have no idea how close I was to bringing him down last time. The only reason I failed was because the magic that created my solid form was bound to him by his emotions and without those emotions, I couldn't stay solid. Now that I'm not bound by his pitiful mortal emotions, I can move more freely and have a chance at bringing him to his knees." 

"In other words, you're gonna make him suffer this time around." 

"And I'm going to enjoy every fucking minute of it." 

She grinned wickedly, bouncing a bit in my lap in excitement, not caring about what sort of effect it was having on me at the moment. 

"Oooh...can I watch?" 

"If it gets you off my lap and out of my hair for the rest of the day while I plan, then yes." 

She paused for a moment, giving this some thought before rubbing up against me, her eyes showing just how delighted she was at the idea. Yours truly, on the other hand, was less excited of the idea of her tagging along on this mission. I could think of a million people I'd rather have watching me work than her. 

Finally, she slid from my lap, standing, her skirt dropping back into place once she had. I smirked a bit, watching her smooth out her top and adjust it over her large chest. 

"You've got yourself a deal, J-chan." she said with a grin. 

"All right, now will you please leave so I can get some work done?" 

She eyed me up a bit before grinning. 

"Fine, but I'd suggest taking care of that package first." she said, reaching down to give my crotch a good squeeze. 

I jumped slightly and growled, swatting her arm away as roughly as I could in my uncomfortable position. She laughed and headed out of my study, leaving me to my work. No doubt I would have to repay the bitch later for leaving me there with a rather painful erection. Sooner or later, she was going to have to learn that teasing me like that was one dangerous game that was going to catch up with her soon enough. 

But first....I had work to do. 


	9. Hachi: Trust Regained

Once she was certain that the double had gone, Chimitsu sheathed the nodachi on her back before turning and kneeling down next to me. I allowed myself to relax at that point, relieved to see the pure Chimitsu again, to know that it had been a double causing so much trouble instead of a split personality. Her hands gently caressed my face, brushing my hair back out of my eyes. 

"Minamoto-kun....what did she do to you?" she asked quietly, the worry evident in her voice. 

"Besides kiss me? Tried to weaken me so she could kidnap me and take me to Aku." 

"Looks like she did a pretty good job save for the kidnapping you part. Hold still and I'll get you fixed up back to normal, eh?" 

I nodded and stayed still as she pulled me close so that my head rested against her chest, her wings folding around me. Instantly, I relaxed, feeling warm and safe within their confines. Her healing energies began to take effect, restoring my drained energies and closing my wounds. 

As soon as she had finished, I sat back and picked up my katana, slipping the blade back into my obi before picking up my ribbon and pulling my hair back into its usual topknot. Chimitsu handed me one of the last few fruit from the oasis and I ate, silently watching her. I had no idea what to say to her now, feeling terrible for ever thinking she would harm me. 

"Gomen nasai[1]." I said softly. 

Chimitsu looked up from her own fruit and over to me, tipping her head at me curiously. 

"Eh?" 

"I am sorry." 

"For what?" 

"For not trusting you, for thinking that evil creature was you." 

She blinked for a moment before simply smiling that cheerful smile of hers. Everytime I saw that smile, I melted inside. It was as if that simple smile could make everything right again somehow. 

"Is that what these last two days were all about, Jack? You saw that woman and you thought she was me, that I was trying to hurt you?" 

I nodded slowly, keeping my eyes lowered in shame. 

"Forgive me. I really did think she was you, that you had two personalities." 

"I see. Can't say I blame you for thinking she was me. She looks exactly like me save for the wings and demeanor. Odd, but really, Jack, it's quite all right. I'm not at all angry for the mistake." 

I looked up, only to see her smile again. She was not at all angry, only as cheerful as she usually was. She took another bite of her fruit and I finished my own, wondering how she could be so calm and cheerful when I had just insulted her. 

She looked back over to me and I looked away, still ashamed of my foolishness, that I believed it was her without trying to figure out the truth. 

"Don't look so downhearted, Jack. Everyone makes mistakes, even samurai." she said. 

"Samurai are not supposed to make such mistakes." 

She paused and looked at me, a hint of sympathy showing in her eyes. 

"You're not superhuman, Minamoto-kun. You're human and you're going to make mistakes like anyone else." 

"Mistakes can be fatal to a samurai, especially me when I am lost in this future. If I allow myself to make mistakes, then Aku will surely move in for the kill." 

There was another moment of silence before she moved to sit next to me, slipping an arm around my shoulders and pulling me in towards her chest again, holding me as a mother would. 

"Oh, Jack," she said. "You're so hard on yourself sometimes, far more than you should be. The only way we learn is by making mistakes and if you want to learn about this world, you're gonna have to make a few mistakes. Fatal? Oh hell no. You and fatal in the same sentence? Only if the fatality is going towards your enemy. You're much too careful to make any sort of mistake that will cost you that much." 

"Perhaps. I just cannot help but feel that sooner or later, I am going to make a mistake that _will_ cost me." 

"I see." 

"Hmm?" 

I looked up at her, seeing a distant sadness in them. 

"Ikra. No wonder you were having such a tough time trusting me after you saw that double. You thought I was playing you along like Ikra did." 

I paled. Never had I mentioned Ikra to anyone before. Not even the Scotsman knew that Aku had taken a female shape and strung me along a few months after my arrival here. 

"How do you know about that? I never told anyone about Ikra before." 

"I've been watching you for some time, Jack. I know about Aku's little stunt with you in the desert. I should have realized that was why you were so touchy earlier. I'm sorry you had to go through that. I didn't even know it was Aku until the time he revealed himself. Twisted as he was, we never expected him to be so sick as to take on a female form and use your own chivalrous honor against you like that. If I'd known, I would have intervened." 

"It is all right. It is said and done with nothing either of us could have done about it. I will just have to get over being so careful around beautiful women." 

She gently caressed my jaw, holding me close to her chest, where I could hear her heart beating beneath her breast. If I had not known that she was an immortal, I would have believed that she was completely human. Her heart beat just like my own, her lungs filling with the same air that I breathed. 

I could have stayed there forever like that, just her and I. I wanted to stay there forever like that, to lose myself in the dream of a world without Aku, where I did not have to fight battles for survival every day. A world where it was just myself and Chimitsu. 

"We should continue on our way. As much as we'd both like to stay here, it would be suicide. They know where we are and they'll be coming for us soon." she said. 

As much as I hated it, I knew it was true. The enemy did know where we were and we had to get out of there unless we wanted to fight again. She released me and I reluctantly stood, turning to help her up. 

"Where do we go now?" I asked. 

"To the east. There's a city not far from the other side of this jungle. We can hole up there for a little while." 

I nodded and we headed on our way. Chimitsu was quiet the whole way there, though that was not to say that she was not her usual cheerful self. It was simply odd for her to stay quiet as we made our way through the steamy jungle and into the city. 

I shuddered at the sound of all flying vehicles and city industry. It was always so noisy that it was almost difficult to hear yourself think over it. I thought back to the first time I had seen this city and shuddered again, remembering how close I had come to falling to my death after Aku's portal dropped me out high above the city. 

I followed Chimitsu's lead through the maze of stone streets past sky-high buildings made of glass and metal. Some people stared while others ran upon seeing me. Everywhere I looked, Aku had advertisements posted for my capture, ads that read that I was armed and dangerous. Armed, yes, but dangerous? I was only dangerous to agents of Aku, not innocent people. 

Finally, Chimitsu stopped before a building with a flashing neon sign written in a language that I had seen before, but did not yet understand. She headed inside and I quickly followed, wrinkling my nose at the stench of cigar smoke that lingered within. This place did not quite appear hospitable, but I would have to trust Chimitsu's judgement in choice of hideouts. 

After all, she knew this city far better than I did and it certainly beat hiding out in the sewers again. 

She paused for a moment at the desk, speaking in a foreign language to the innkeeper before turning to me, smiling, and heading past the desk into a hallway. I followed until she stopped before a door with numbers on it, using the key to open it. I watched and then followed her, closing the door behind myself to find that we were in a room with two beds and a few other things, including a bath. Finally, I would get a decent bath. I had not had a good bath since we left the village three days ago. 

"We'll be able to rest here for a day or two, then we must move on again before they pick up our trail and follow us." she said, setting her nodachi down on the table. 

"Right. Who do you think that woman was?" 

"I don't know. She was identical to me, yet I don't have a twin. Elementals never have twins unless two are born to the same Element and that hasn't happened in several millennia." 

"Is there anyone who can pose as an Elemental?" 

"Aside from Aku, no. No mortal would be able to pose as one of us, no matter how powerful they may be in magical usage. A mortal's energy field greatly differs from that of an Elemental's and it is relatively easy for us to see through the illusion." 

"And Aku?" 

"He's not as easy to see through, but I highly doubt that he's stupid enough to try another Ikra with you. He knows as well as we do that you're too smart for that, that you'd be looking for it and you were. Even though you were mistaken, you were prepared for another Ikra illusion. No, it isn't him." 

"If it is not Aku, how can you tell?" 

"It didn't feel like him. Trust me, Jack, we Elementals know our own and it wasn't him. It was an Elemental, yes, but its signature was far different from Aku's. Even in illusion, Aku keeps his energy signature. You might not be able to pick up on it, but another Elemental certainly would." 

"I see." 

Chimitsu sat next to me on the bed that I had sat on, watching me curiously. I furrowed my brow a bit, finding that even though she had been a double, it still did not make sense. Who was she and how could she look so much like Chimitsu? 

"Don't worry yourself so much, samurai. Whomever she is, I'm sure we'll find out...whether we want to or not." she said with a smile. 

"Right." 

I sighed a little, physically and mentally exhausted, despite Chimitsu's earlier healing. Actually, the double and Ikra were not all that had been on my mind since we left the jungle. There was something else that had been tugging at my mind and my heart for some time since my arrival here in the future. For awhile, I never thought I would get the opportunity to find out, but I was in the presense of an Elemental...and she might know the answer. 

"Chimitsu?" I asked. 

"Yes?" 

She looked up from preening her wings with her long nails before pushing one last feather into place. 

"Tell me...do you know whatever became of my parents after Aku threw me through that portal into the future?" 

For a moment, she appeared startled by my question. It was a simple question really, but she still looked surprised to hear me ask it of her. A moment later, the cheerfulness faded from her expression to a deep sadness. She knew what had happened, she just had to. She would not have reacted as such if she did not. 

"Oh, Minamoto-kun...." she said softly, the sadness clear on her face. 

She reached over and gently caressed my face before pulling me into another tight embrace. 

"I don't know if you really want to find out. Neither of them ended up with kind fates, not with Aku in command." 

"I never thought for a moment that they would have ended up with a kind fate, but I must know, for my own peace of mind and honor, what happened to them." 

She sighed heavily, her hand rubbing against my back. A part of me wanted to forget that I had ever asked, but a stronger part of me had to know. I had to know what had become of them, if they ever forgot me or lost hope that I would return. 

"Both of them lived for a few years after you disappeared. Aku, he tormented them for months, gloating in his victory, telling them that you were lost and that the world was his. First he found your mother, destroyed the temple, and enslaved her as he did your father for helping you to train and keeping the heir to the empire out of your reach. He knew that you would be able to use the sword as your father did and thusly punished her for taking you away from him to train to use the sword. It didn't matter that you had already been sent to this future, she still had to be punished in his eyes." 

I could hear the emotion thick in her voice from the memories, knowing that she would have been there. 

"What happened to them? How did they die?" 

"Aku eventually worked your father to death in the mines. One day he collapsed and he never rose again. His heart simply gave out from all the years of strain." 

"I thought I freed him." 

"You did, Jack, but when Aku threw you through time, it was an easy matter for him to subdue any rebellion that might have arose. Without the sword, there was nothing your father could do. The sword was with you, otherwise we might have been able to use the Star of the Elements to help." 

"And my mother?" 

"She lived a few years after that, but he broke her, too. At first, she was put into the mines as well, but when she started losing her strength, he put her to work as an elderly maid in his lair. Her heart didn't give out like your father's had, but she wasn't in the best of health, either, at the end of her life. Slowly she grew sick and one morning, she didn't wake up." 

"What happened to them after that?" 

"We don't know." 

"How could you not know?! You are an Elemental!" 

"Jack, I may be an Elemental, but I'm not omnipotent. We tried finding out what happened after they died, but we simply don't know. Aku quickly had their bodies removed and what happened to them, we have been unable to find out. I wish I could tell you that they were given a proper funeral, but I honestly don't know. Most people that died were indeed cremated and the remains given to their families, but you were their only family and with you gone..." 

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to not cry in front of her. 

"There was no one to take their remains and there is no telling what Aku could have done with them. Not when they never had a chance to have more children after me." 

"I'm sorry, Minamoto-kun. I told you that they didn't meet very kind fates." 

"I expected them to perish in misery with the world in Aku's control, but I never imagined that they would have suffered such dishonor..." 

I quickly stood, pulling away from her in shock of what I had learned. My failure had not only caused the misery of my people, but my parents had suffered for the rest of their short lives as a result. If I was not so sorely needed, I would have committed seppuku for such a terrible crime. 

Sensing my distress, Chimitsu quickly rose, her hand slipping into mine. 

"Minamoto-kun...it wasn't your fault. Don't you dare think for a moment that it was. You didn't know what that demon was capable of. Even your father didn't know about the timewarp spell. He wasn't supposed to know such a technique, so none of us could have prevented that." she said. 

"Perhaps I could not predict the timewarp spell, but I was young and overconfident. I thought that with the sword and my extensive training, I could do anything. So arrogant and foolish of me to go up against such evil and think that he would not have a last-ditch plan up his sleeve for me. My father warned me, but I didn't listen. Instead, I left myself wide open, gave him plenty of opportunity instead of banishing him immediately back to Jigoku,[2] and look where it landed me." 

"Jack..." 

I ignored her and pulled away, hurrying towards the bathroom as quickly as I could, unable to stand the pain burning in my heart any longer. I felt a little bad for hurrying away so rudely, but I could always apologize for that. Crying before a woman was more than my tortured heart would be able to bear, even if she did understand. 

I set my katana aside once I had closed the door behind myself and locked it, walking over to the tub and beginning to draw a hot bath. While that was running, I stripped down and washed off, letting my hair out of its usual topknot. Rinsing off, I headed over to the tub and turned off the water before stepping in, the water coming up to my shoulders. 

Drawing my knees up, I wrapped my arms around them, resting my chin atop my arms, staring into the water's shimmering surface. Only when I was certain that Chimitsu would be unable to hear me did I allow my emotions to be freed, the hot tears quickly blurring my vision. I hugged my knees tightly at the memory of my kind mother and wise father, feeling my body begin to shake with the raw emotion that was rising in my chest. 

"Otousan....Okaasan....onegai...yurusu[3]...." I whispered. 

I wanted to whisper more, but my voice broke at that moment and I could no longer hold back the sobs that rose in my throat. I bowed my head against my knees and arms and, as quietly as I could, I let the sobs come, praying that Chimitsu would not hear them. Perhaps I had been holding back for too long, but this was more than I could bear and in my solitude, I cried, mourning for my beloved parents, to whom I had never had a chance to say a final sayonara.[4] 

* * *

_[1]gomen nasai_= a formal way of saying "I'm sorry." May also be seen from here on out as simply "gomen"  
_[2]jigoku_= hell  
_[3]"Otousan....Okaasan....onegai...yurusete...."_= "Father...mother...I beg of you...forgive me."  
_[4]sayonara_= we all know that this means "goodbye", but actually, it's more along the lines of "farewell" than "goodbye." 


	10. Kyuu: Ambush

Hihi! Just wanna make a quick note...I have a number of chapters following this one all written and ready to go, buuut...rather than making a million and one updates in one shot, I've decided to post the next chapter of the story on Fridays. So...if you're looking for the next chapter, check back on Friday and I'll likely have it up ff.net and my internet willing. ;P Enjoy and arigatou for all the reviews! - TN 

* * *

Two days later, Chimitsu and I were once again on our way. I had spent the last two days in silence, the fate of my family weighing heavily on my mind and heart. She had made several attempts to cheer me up, but I was in no mood to be comforted. This had diminished her cheerful demeanor somewhat, but she was still far more cheerful than I thought of being at the moment. 

We left the hotel and made our way through the labyrinth of streets to the north of the city, where it faded back into desert. For a moment, I thought that we had taken a wrong turn and ended up going back the way we came, but Chimitsu assured me that we had not, that the desert made something of an L shape around the city. The good thing was, this part of the desert was traveled more than the other side and there was a road to follow and an oasis or two along the way. 

"Tell me, Chimitsu-san, why are we heading north?" I asked. 

"We'll be able to reach my sister's temple in the mountains more easily this way than if we keep heading east. To the east of the city is some dangerous territory run by bounty hunters and kept in Aku's tightest control. If we want to get to my sister's temple, we cannot go that way." 

"It would not be the first time I have gone through bounty hunter territory." 

"No, I suppose not, but I would have thought that your little stunt with the Dome of Doom would have taught you to stay the hell away from there. Trust me when I say that there are worse places than the Dome in that part of this world." 

"Worse? What could possibly be worse than enslaving people as your own personal gladiators?" 

"You don't wanna know. Just trust me on this one. You don't want to pass through that part of the world. The Dome was on the edge of the nastiness and its former owner was only interested in gladatorial games. He only wanted a good fight, whether that was to the death or until one of the warriors had been defeated. Other slave owners do much, much worse to their slaves. Twisted games in which nobody comes out alive." 

"Not yet." 

"Don't get cocky, Minamoto-kun. You were lucky in saying that and then climbing Fatoum, but to entice them to come after you is suicide. Their games can kill anyone, Jack, even you. If you truly want to save this world, then behave yourself and don't get overconfident. You can't do a thing to help us if you're dead." 

Without another word, she continued on her way down the dusty desert road and I hurried to catch up. Perhaps she was right. After all, I did get overconfident in my first encounter with Aku and it got me sent into the future. As much as it would do the slaves of the area good for me to pass through and shut down the operations, Chimitsu was right. I could not do a thing to help them when I was dead. 

"Forgive me, Chimitsu-san. I only thought I could help them by shutting down the slave rings." I said when I caught up to her. 

She stopped and turned to look at me, the compassion clear in her eyes. 

"I know, Jack, but the thing is, it never helps. Trust me, I know, because I was once like you when Aku first started conquering the world. I spent more time in this mortal realm in those days than I do now and while I am here, my vows as the Wind Elemental bind me to help those in need. I went around just like you, trying to break up slave traders' rings and get the people out of things like prostitution and gladatorial games. Thing was, I learned the hard way that it didn't help." 

"Why would it not help?" 

"Because the ringleaders just regroup elsewhere and after a time, if you kill them or otherwise stop them, there's twenty more that pop up and the poor slaves don't have time to recover before it starts all over again. I lost a lot of souls to insanity in those days. They eventually began to fight me, Jack, calling me a witch, a demon, wanting me to leave them alone. You have no idea how much it hurt for me to hear that from the very people I was trying to help." 

I could see the pain in her eyes, crystalline tears welling up in them. 

"They just kept getting out of one insane situation and put into another and they couldn't take it anymore. They hated having their hopes repeatedly broken, so I learned to leave them be. Perhaps some of those slaves you rescused from the Dome made it out all right, but there's a good chance that they just ended up in another nasty situation. I know you mean well, Jack, but there's little you can do. It's better to get to the root of the problem first, then they'll be able to be free." she said. 

"I see..." 

She wiped at her eyes and I reached out, gently taking her hand and squeezing it. Immediately, I stopped feeling sorry for myself, angry that I had ever allowed it in the first place when this immortal had done exactly what I had been trying to do, only with disastrous results. If she said that the only way to her sister's temple and the path to Aku's destruction was to the north, then I would not question her again and follow. 

"Let us go, Chimitsu-san. If you say that the best way to go is north, then let us head north. The sooner Aku meets his end, the sooner this world and its people will be free." I said softly. 

Finally, her cheerful expression returned as she wiped the last of her tears away from her eyes. I was glad to see that bright smile for the first time in two days because she certainly did not seem like herself when she was even the least bit sad. She gently took my hand in both of hers and squeezed before grinning like a mischievious child. 

"Race you to the oasis!" she cried. 

"Race? Chimitsu, it is desert out here!" 

"So? The oasis isn't far, perhaps a couple of miles. I promise I won't fly." 

I laughed a bit, reaching up to trail a fingertip along the edge of her wing, feeling the muscle and delicate bone beneath the skin and feathers. 

"It is not your flying that I am worried about." 

"Don't worry. We'll have enough supplies to make it that far, at least as far as our water canteens are concerned, and we can refill there. Now are you gonna race me or not?" 

I shook my head and she took off running down the sandy road. I hurried after her with my hat on my head to keep the sun off my face, feeling, if only for a moment, that we could actually fool around a bit like this. Feeling like Aku could not touch us out this far in this desolate place, where we were free to let our guard down a little and play a bit. 

Chimitsu was a tease, though. Every time I managed to close the gap between us, she would let me race alongside her for a few moments before speeding up and gaining ground on me. Then she would let me catch her again before dashing away after a few moments. Even with the heavy wings, she was fast like the wind. Of course, I should have known not to race the wind, or at least the Wind Elemental. 

Eventually she tired of this and dashed ahead, keeping within my sight until we reached the oasis, where she waited for me. I caught up to her, finding her drinking her water, eyes shining. I stopped to catch my breath before taking a drink from my own water supply, grinning back at her. 

Odd how she could make me feel like I did in my childhood before Aku came. Like I was perfectly safe and nothing bad could ever touch us and the happiness we knew. 

"You all right, samurai?" she asked. 

"I will...be fine. You run like the wind, though, and I can never hope to catch you unless you allow it." 

She laughed and tucked her canteen into the leather bag she carried. 

"Did you expect anything less from the Wind Elemental?" 

"No, I suppose I did not." 

"Well, now that we're here, we can take a bit of a break, replenish our supplies, and then continue on our way. This section of the desert isn't as big as the western side, which means it shouldn't be too far to the grasslands. Another oasis or two in perhaps another day's journey and we'll be fine. Not a three to four day trip like the western side." 

"Perfect." 

"Why don't you wait here and catch your breath in the shade while I go and replenish our water supplies." 

"A samurai never leaves a lady to fend for herself, Chimitsu." 

She gave me a look of mock insult before swatting me gently with one of her wings. 

"You nut! Really, Jack, you're too chivalrous for your own good sometimes. Have you forgotten that I'm an Elemental and immortal and am perfectly capable of handling myself?" she asked. 

"Well, no, but..." 

"No buts, dearie. I'll be fine. You're the one you should be worried about more than me. You're the mortal and mortals don't fare too well under the hot sun. As an immortal, I can't die from heat exhaustion, so, just behave yourself in the shade 'till I get back, ok?" 

I shook my head and chuckled softly. As much as I hated to let a lady go off alone in this world, I had to say that she was right. She could take care of herself and I did have the disadvantage of having to worry about collapsing from the heat of the midday desert sun. 

She grinned and gave me a wink before disappearing into the depths of the oasis, leaving me alone. I stretched a bit before finding a tree to sit beneath to wait, enjoying the coolness of the shade to stay in. As I sat there, I could not help but think that I was enjoying Chimitsu's company. 

Ever since my arrival here and learning that there were few that I could trust, I kept to myself. Sure, the Scotsman had been great fun to travel with, but he had a wife to take care of and he could not go too far from his home in the Highlands, which meant that traveling with him was restricted to the area formerly known as Europe. I was alone, at least until I had met Chimitsu. 

She made me laugh, made me feel like a child again, like everything really would be all right. She was almost a kindred spirit to me, the closest I could get to a fellow samurai in this world. Aku did not count. He knew the old ways as well as I did, but he was the enemy and I could never let that slip my mind for even a moment. 

After some time, I began to hear what sounded like an engine running, a loud, steady roar coming along the road towards me. Slowly I rose, seeing dust in the distance, wondering if the bounty hunters had caught up with us so quickly. A part of me debated dashing into the oasis to look for Chimitsu, while the rest of me wanted to stay and fight if I had to. 

The noise grew louder and louder until it was right in front of me, revealing something that I had never expected to see again while I was here in this hellish future. 

"You!" I cried, seeing the driver of the lead motorcycle. 

Indeed, the man identical to myself grinned nastily as he stopped his vehicle and dismounted, walking over to me until we were face to face. His appearance had changed somewhat since I had last seen him, finding that he chose to leave his hair down and wore what looked like leather from head to foot. Behind him, other motorcycles roared, being ridden by a ragtag bunch of bounty hunters. 

"Heeeeeere's Mad Jackie!" he said with a grin. 

"You cannot possibly be here. I destroyed you." 

"Correction. You destroyed your emotions which enabled me to remain solid in this world. Without the emotions of anger and hatred, Aku's magic couldn't sustain me and I disappeared." 

"Is Aku so desperate to destroy me that he is willing to try the same trick twice?" 

"Perhaps, perhaps not. Or perhaps I never disappeared to begin with." 

"It does not matter. I defeated you once, I can do it again." 

"Is that a challenge I hear?" 

"Take it as you will." 

He laughed and removed the leather biker's jacket and tossed it behind him onto his bike, revealing a black t-shirt with the sleeves torn off beneath it, one arm sporting a tattoo reading "akuma." He still carried the double of my katana, which meant that he was just as dangerous as the last time. Simultaneously, we drew our blades, circling each other in the sand, waiting to see who would strike first. 

He had not removed his sunglasses, which meant that I could not watch his eyes to see where he was going to strike. No matter. There were other ways to tell, but it made him just that much more dangerous. I spun my blade in my hand, waiting, hoping that Chimitsu would not reappear and that his companions had been told to stay out of the fight. 

I could handle my double alone, but in no way could I handle both him and his biker friends or a hostage situation. 

Indeed, he struck first, going for the side, forcing me to block. The moment our blades struck, sparks flew, flying off into the sand as I swung up with the hilt towards his jaw. He took a few steps back, shaking his head, but unlike last time, he did not immediately lose his temper. 

Instead, he swung back, our blades striking over and over, the sand being stirred up beneath our feet. Just like the last time, I was unable to strike him easily, though I had improved and he had the same difficulty with me. For a long time, we fought beneath the hot sun, his gang of bikers shutting down their bikes to watch. Last time, I had managed to defeat him simply by calming myself and driving away my anger and hatred, which he personified. 

Yet I had not been feeling any anger or hatred this time. Perhaps sadness and embarrassment at myself for being so foolish to let my guard down and be banished to time, sealing the fate of my family, but nothing that could have brought him around. I had lost my temper last time on a very bad day and since meeting Chimitsu, the days seemed nothing but good, even when we were on the run. How was it, then that he had been restored? 

Something felt different this time, something out of place from the last time. 

Once, twice, three times he struck, his blade slicing through my flesh across my shoulder, leg, and back. I fell to my knees, for a moment in the sand and he took a few steps back, waiting for me to recover. It was almost as if he was toying with me. 

I forced myself up and swung, slicing across his chest before he countered, striking with blinding speed. I parried the best I could, but he struck more times than I wanted to admit to, feeling the hot blood trickle down my arms, chest, and legs. I was being worn down by the exertion under the sun, yet he was hardly breaking a sweat. 

Sparks flew over and over again until our blades crossed between us, our faces just inches apart. I could not see past the dark sunglasses, but I was certain his eyes were shining with twisted excitement over this battle. I pushed down with all my weight, only to have him balance it out with his own, keeping us exactly equal. 

Without warning, he lashed out, his elbow crashing into my jaw with such force that I fell back onto the sand hard, my head spinning. I had taken some wicked punches before from bounty hunters, but this one actually had me momentarily stunned. He had grown stronger and could bring me down anytime he wished, but that was not all that felt different about him. 

I groaned and pulled myself up onto my knees, shaking my head a bit. Sweat stung my wounds along with the rough sand, yet I had only managed to land one or two blows on him. This was it. He was going to kill me and Aku was going to have his victory at the hands of my double. 

He swung up with the steel-tipped toe of his boot, slamming it into my side and part of my chest, sending me flying across the sand. I gasped for air, finding it hard to believe that he had grown so strong since the last time we fought. Just like Chimitsu's double, it did not make any sense whatsoever, particularly since I knew that I had destroyed him last time. If I had failed in that, why wait so long to return? 

_"Okiro!"[1]_

I pushed myself up, realizing that my katana lay in the sand some several feet from where I had landed. Breathing was difficult and coughing hurt even worse as I spat blood into the sand off to the side. How could he be so strong, so seemingly undefeatable? 

Slowly I looked up, watching as he grinned and lunged towards me, his katana coming down in an overhead strike. With my katana so far away, I could not possibly block by blade and I had no time to roll away. There was but one thing I could do and it was a gamble. If I did this wrong, he would slice me in two and that would be the end of it. 

As the shimmering blade came down, I braced myself in a lunge of my own, lowering my head and snapping my hands up in clapping motion. At the very last second, I caught the katana between my hands as the Imakandi had once done with me. Only the most precise of timing and skilled or desperate of warriors could ever pull this move off and I knew it. 

"Impossible!" he cried. 

I was not going to give him time to react and pushed him back before swinging up with my left leg in a side kick. My foot struck his wrist painfully and his own katana went flying off to the side, spinning away into the sands. While he was still recovering from the shock of my sudden burst of strength, I brought my knee up into his stomach, doubling him over. Finally, I brought my doubled fist up and slammed my elbows into his back, dropping him to the sand. 

He lay there for a moment, not moving, and I debated as to whether or not I had killed him. He certainly felt solid, but still unlike the last time we had met. If only... 

With a gasp, I realized that it was impossible for a mere human or any kind of mortal to be beneath such blazing heat and not sweat. Before she had gone off, I noticed that Chimitsu herself had not been sweating and that she had warned me to be careful because she could not die from heat exhaustion. My double apparently did not have that trouble either, which meant that he was an Elemental and no longer bound by Aku's magic fused with my emotions! 

So that was what he meant by that he may not have disappeared altogether in the first place! Aku resurrected him with Elemental magic! 

I did not realize that while I was figuring out what my double's game was that he was still alive and fully aware of his surroundings again. In an instant, a blast of sand was thrown in my face and I stumbled back, blinded. My eyes hurt painfully, watering and making any images I saw blurry. It was impossible to parry or fight back now. 

Instantly, he was on his feet and he came towards me, relentless in his strikes. Punch after punch, kick after kick, he struck me, sending wave after wave of pain through me. Blindly, I tried to defend and counter, only to hear him laugh and taunt me before he struck again. 

He was so strong and no wonder. If he was an Elemental, then he could easily have twice my strength and speed with my exact skills. He knew my moves, my thoughts, and all before I could think or execute them. Sand and sweat stung my wounds as I frantically tried to get the sand out of my eyes so I could see and fight back. Blindfighting required extreme concentration and accelerated hearing and I had neither. The pain of the sand in my eyes would break any concentration and I would not be able to hear him over the motorcycle engines that were starting up again. 

Finally, a double-fisted blow caught me under the chin, shattering my jaw and snapping my head back, almost breaking my neck. I fell hard to my knees and elbows, coughing painfully, my head spinning as I coughed up more blood. My eyes watered even more as I coughed, spitting the blood onto the sand. 

This was it. I was a dead man. Everything I had fought for, everything I believed in...gone.... 

"It's over, boys. Let's leave him for the vultures to have. He's too weak to go very far, much less get any medical help. He won't be bothering Lord Aku any longer." my double said, heading back towards his bike. 

He was going to leave me here. Did that mean he knew of Chimitsu and had her killed already or did he foolishly not know of her? He had to know of her. With Aku as his master, he had to know, which meant that there was a chance that she was dead and that meant I could not allow myself to submit to defeat just yet. 

I forced myself up onto my feet, my legs shaking with the effort as I found I could not speak with a broken jaw. There was an air of stunned silence as I heard him slip his leather jacket back on. I did not doubt that I would be able to see a smirk on his face if I could see at all. 

"Still got some fight in you, eh? Do yourself and the rest of us a favor, Jack-chan...lay down and die. You're miles from anywhere that can help you and your Elemental friend is likely vulture fodder by now. Just die." he said cruelly. 

"I....iie[2]...." I managed to choke out. 

"What?" 

A split second later, four sharp pains struck my arm, leg, and torso, then faded away into a throbbing ache, save for my leg. I could feel my thighbone shatter and instantly, I lost my balance, gasping as my body spun slightly towards the ground. A moment later, the heat of the desert and everything around me...faded away into nothingness. 

* * *

_[1]okiro_= a sharp, commanding way of saying "Get up!"  
_[2]iie_= No  
_-kun, -chan, -san, and -sama_= in case my gentle readers haven't figured this out, there are several different honorifics the Japanese use with names.  
-Sama, as I explained before, is for lords/ladies/royalty, and those who are your superiors.  
-San is the polite honorific used with people you don't know or with elders you maybe do know. It's essentially the Japanese Mr. or Mrs. sorta thing.  
-Kun and -chan are slightly different. These terms are used casually between friends, with -kun being the male term(NEVER used between women or to a woman unless she is practicing male behavior, which is rare) and -chan being the female term(NEVER used for men except in these instances: a male acting feminine, a very young child/toddler, or to a male lover as a term of endearment. Using -chan with a male at any other time is VERY insulting, hence Mad Jack's "Jack-chan" to our beloved samurai. He means it as an insult, whereas Chimitsu uses it as a term of endearment and Ekirei in future chapters uses it as a taunt or warping of the term of endearment her original uses). I believe the literal translation is "sweet" or "cute", but the connotation is something along the lines of "miss". 


	11. Juu: A Bird In The Hand

**Mad Jack**

I watched my original fall to the sand in a pitiful heap before turning towards the bounty hunter that had shot him. The three-eyed alien emptied the shells from his gun clip before reloading and flicking his cigarette butt out into the sand. My original was not yet dead, but he would be shortly and without suffering. 

I wanted him to suffer. 

"Dare ga omae wo meirei hasshita ka?"[1] I asked. 

He gave me an indifferent look as he holstered the weapon, shrugging his massive metal shoulders. 

"You told 'im to die, so I just finished the job for him." he said. 

"Baka yarou!"[2] 

I stepped closer, watching his eyes shift into an expression of fear as I approached. 

"I wanted him to suffer." I said quietly, threateningly. 

"He was gonna die anyway, man, so what're you complaining about?" 

"You'll never know, now, will you?" 

Before he could react, I summoned my katana to my hand and quickly took his head. The others remained silent, not daring to irk me any further. I wiped the blood from my blade on his jacket before sheathing it, turning to gaze at the rest of my gang. 

"Anyone else want to be made an example of?" I asked. 

The remaining seven shook their heads rapidly, their eyes showing just how piss-scared they were of me. Satisfied, I walked over to my bike to wait for Ekirei to return from finishing off the Wind Elemental. I suppose it didn't exactly matter how my original died, just that he did, but I wanted him to suffer and suffer good. He wasn't worthy of a quick death. 

Eventually, I began to hear footsteps from the oasis and I looked up, peering through my sunglasses at the trees, waiting for Eki to hurry it up so we could report to Lord Aku. He would be most happy to hear that the samurai was dead and that he was rid of the Wind Elemental in the same fell swoop. However, the being that emerged from the trees was the last person I expected it to be. 

"Omae wa..."[3] I said. 

The white-winged Elemental looked up at us and the carnage that lay before us, her eyes narrowing for a split second before her gaze fell upon my fallen original. He was hanging on by a thread, not moving and hardly breathing. Already a pool of blood was beginning to soak the sand beneath him. He was finished. 

Chimitsu hurried over to him, dropping her nodachi in the sand, cradling his broken form in her arms with his head to her breast. She didn't seem to care that his blood was staining her gown or that he was so close to death that he was a lost cause. A small trickle of blood ran from one corner of his mouth and even his nose, showing just how critical his wounds were. She just had to know that. Anyone would. 

"Minamoto-chan!" she cried, the crystalline tears welling up in her eyes. 

Of course the fool wasn't going to answer her, not when he was practically dead. I doubted that he could even hear her. Even if he had been conscious, he wouldn't have been able to answer her. 

Slowly, she turned to look at us, those brilliant emerald eyes of hers turning stone cold as her gaze fell upon us. 

"What did you do to him?!" she cried, her voice nearly breaking. 

"What do you think we did to him, woman? Your samurai is a dead man, you know. Why don't you accept your fate of joining him and wait for the end?" 

"Aku. You work for Aku." 

"Hey, hey, the girl's not so stupid after all! Of course we work for Aku! Who else do you think would be out in this forsaken place looking for you?" 

"Sou ka."[4] 

She looked back down to my original and after a soft sigh, wrapped her wings around him. For a moment, I thought she was going to allow him to slip away, only to feel him grow just a hair stronger. Shit. The bitch was healing him, keeping him alive long enough for her to deal with us and get him help. 

Slowly, her wings withdrew, and she lowered him down to the ground, covering his exposed face with his hat and a strip of cloth. After that, she rose, not bothering to wipe away the sand and blood that clung to her gown. I watched impassively as her face rose up to meet my gaze, her expression completely cold. 

"You did this to him. You nearly killed him." she said softly. 

"And why should I care?" 

"You hurt Minamoto-kun. Yurusenai!"[5] 

In a flash, she had her bared nodachi in her hands and was leaping towards me with blinding speed. Instantly, I reached for my katana, intending on blocking, ready to do to her what I had done to my original. Foolish Ekirei. I couldn't even trust her to take care of her weak original. 

As it turned out, I didn't _need_ to defend myself. A split-second before the nodachi was to come crashing down across the motor of my bike, Ekirei appeared and blocked with her own blade. Apparently she wasn't so useless after all. I relaxed my position and sat back, enjoying the catfight. 

"You again? Can't you take a hint?" Chimitsu snapped at Eki. 

"Just like you, dearie, I can regenerate. By the time you made your way out here and found your hero dead, my wounds had healed." 

"Yeah? Regenerate _this!_" 

In a flash, Chimitsu kicked up with her left foot, slamming her foot into Eki's jaw before slashing quickly with her nodachi, severing muscles and tendons in Ekirei's arms and legs. Unable to support herself or hold her nodachi any longer, Eki fell to the sand, struggling to pull herself up by fluttering her wings. I growled softly, watching the white-winged Elemental. 

"Eki! Mueki na onna!"[6] I snarled. 

Somehow, she managed to haul herself up by her wings into flight, her hands just barely grasping the heavy nodachi. I shook my head, watching as Chimitsu formed a green orb of energy in her hands and flung it, knocking her out of the air. Eki landed hard on her back, effectively breaking both wings and preventing her from going anywhere now. 

Knowing that Lord Aku would tear me apart for letting her die and breaking our own Elemental Circle, I motioned for one of the hunters to take her on their bike. Chimitsu watched me carefully as I dismounted my bike, katana drawn. I couldn't let the Wind Elemental escape, especially if she had the ability to regenerate my original. 

Lord Aku wouldn't forgive me for beating him to within an inch of his life and then allowing him to be healed. 

"Now it's just you and me...Mad Jack." she said. 

"I see my pitiful excuse for a samurai original told you about me." 

"Enough for me to know what you're capable of." 

"Aha...only the old me, babe. I've improved this time around." 

"I see Aku's given you the powers of an Elemental." 

"Unlike Eki over there, you actually seem to have some brains." 

"And you don't. The signatures of my sister, Metal, and Jack, are all over your essense. What sort of warped Elemental are you?" 

"A good looking one, that's what." 

Her wings drooped a little and her expression went deadpan. She was clearly not impressed, which was a pity. I suppose when she'd been hanging around my original so much, it was no wonder that she wasn't interested. 

"You're full of shit, y'know that, MJ?" she asked. 

"No, but I do like the MJ. Sure beats sharing a name with your corpse of a boyfriend over there." 

"Are you finished?" 

"Weeeelll....actually....." 

In a flash, I slashed at her, forcing her to block or lose her head. She parried easily, keeping a safe distance from me with a blade that was easily five feet long. That meant that I wouldn't be able to get close to her all that easily. At least, not without cheating, of course. 

I knew that this battle between us could go on forever, since we couldn't kill each other. We could hurt, that had been allowed for training purposes, but never could we kill. She could have easily killed Eki and I wouldn't have mourned the bitch for even a second, but she didn't take her double's head. 

One reason was pretty obvious. She was a goody-two-shoes and her type just didn't finish off an enemy like that. Heroes never failed to give an enemy a fair chance, even if we fought as dirty as they come. Another reason was a matter of honor and Eki had been defeated, there was no reason to kill her. My only relief in her being kept alive was that Lord Aku wouldn't kill me for losing Eki. 

Over and over again, Chimitsu and I clashed blades, stirring up the sand beneath our feet. Unlike my original, she wouldn't make simple mistakes and she had already figured out that I was an Elemental. She would have years of training and was easily a match for me. On top of that, we were both immortal and could go for days without food, water, or rest, even under the blazing desert sun. 

The only thing keeping her from prolonging this battle was my mortal original. 

With him having mortal limitations, like needing food and drink, and being so close to death, she wouldn't be able to fight me forever. She might have bought him some time, but unless she managed to somehow get the upper hand soon, he was as good as dead. In no way would I allow her to get the chance to heal him again. 

As immortal as she was, she knew my original's limitations as well. She knew as much as I did that he was on borrowed time and could not afford to lay there while we battled. Sparks danced across the sand as night began to close in, drastically dropping the temperature. Perfect. The darkness was my friend and my original was rapidly running out of time. 

"You can't keep this up forever, Chimitsu. You know he's running on borrowed time and dying as we speak." I said. 

"Perhaps, but he's not dying as quickly as you think." 

"So what? You're not gonna get the chance to heal him again." 

"I'll just have to fix that, now, won't I?" 

As quickly as she had struck Ekirei down, she swung up with both hands, backed by the heavy nodachi, slamming her fist into my chin. I snarled in pain as I stumbled back, wiping at my mouth as I watched her hover back towards my original's limp form. Damn! She was more clever than I thought she was capable of. 

In an instant, her nodachi was sheathed on her back between her wings and she had gently lifted my original into her arms. I could not allow her to escape with him or Lord Aku would never forgive me for such an inexcuseable failure. I drew my katana back and moved to strike, only to be sent back by a short burst of wind. 

I quickly pulled myself to my feet, intending on summoning a magical attack if she wanted to play hardball, but I never got the chance. Her wings flared out as she prepared to take flight and she shifted my original's weight to her left arm, balancing him carefully against her shoulder. Her right hand came up, her expression finally breaking from the one of ancient, cold hatred. 

"I haven't got the time to toy with you. Until we meet again, little minions, play nice." she said. 

An instant later, a great wind stirred up, blinding us with sand that swirled around. I cursed and blocked the best I could, but by the time the sand had settled, Chimitsu was long gone and with my original. A part of me wanted to kill the bounty hunters I had brought along, just to relieve some of the fury I was feeling at the moment, but it wouldn't do any good. 

I, too, had fought her, and failed, but we couldn't go back to Lord Aku like this, not after failing so miserably. Perhaps we could have had my original, but now that he was in the hands of the Wind Elemental, he would be restored and back on his feet. I sheathed my katana and remounted my bike, sighing as I sat there for a few moments. 

Behind me, Ekirei had managed to regenerate her severed muscles and tendons and had taken over the spare bike. Her wings still hung limply from her back, but she was still back on her feet. I gave her a sharp glare before reving my bike's engine and turning around on the road, heading back into town. 

The others followed, but only Eki ended up with me at my final destination deep within the heart of the city, in a place few dare to go. Only the roughest, rowdiest, and most dangerous of people ever came here and anyone else that dares either has a deathwish or is just plain stupid. The small group of biker bounty hunters might have followed me into the desert, but in no way were they going to follow me into the nastiest section of the city. 

Not that I cared. They had been handsomely paid to back me up and take down the samurai and Wind Elemental if Eki and I failed, but it didn't matter now whether or not they were of any use. I wouldn't see them again and I don't think they wanted to see me again anytime soon. 

I pulled up to a club called "Demon's Den" and parked my bike. Eki pulled up alongside me and gave me a look, her wings folding into place on her back. I didn't give her a second glance before heading in, knowing that she would follow. The inside of the club was noisy, but I didn't care. Nobody would dare mess with us or think about interrupting our business here. 

Eki and I headed through the club and into the hotel area, passing by the desk and heading upstairs to a room designated especially for Lord Aku's commanders, which meant us. I pushed the door open and headed inside, tossing my jacket aside onto the nearest piece of furniture, which ended up being a coffeetable. Eki walked in behind me, closing the door as I removed my sunglasses and tossed them on my jacket. 

"We are so very screwed, Jack." she said. 

"No shit. Whatever gave you the first clue? The fact that you couldn't take down your original or that your original stabilized my original and took off with him?" 

"J-chan, c'mon, don't start this shit with me. I didn't see you kicking her ass out there, either." 

I whirled around grabbed her by the throat before she could block, lifting her a good foot off the floor. 

"Do me a favor, Eki. Shut that useless mouth of yours." I said before letting her down. 

She backed away, rubbing at her neck, eyes narrowing at me. 

"You didn't have to throttle me, y'know." 

"It was the only way I could shut you up." 

If looks could kill, I'd be dead, but I didn't exactly care, either. We had more important things at hand to worry about instead of fighting each other all the time. 

"Look, J-chan, we're both in the same fix. We can't go back to Aku-sama empty handed. We need either the Wind Elemental or the samurai." she said. 

"He probably knows that we failed already." 

"If he knows that we were so close, perhaps that's why he hasn't bothered us." 

"Or he's too busy doing Fuki to care." 

She made a face. 

"Ew. You know 'bout that shit, too?" 

"What do you think he was doing when I got my marching orders from him last?" 

"Point taken. So what do we do, J-chan?" 

"The samurai is already badly wounded and still near enough to death that he won't be trouble for a little while at least. How much healing power can your original put out before she has to stop?" 

"Her limit? She's had several millennia's worth of experience so she can heal a great deal before she's at her limit. She can't, however, heal around bullets, so unless those bullets come out, he's as good as dead." 

"Then your original will find a surgeon first, then heal him the rest of the way." 

"Perhaps. She may use a bit of power to keep him alive, but she has to have the bullets removed before he can be completely healed." 

"And after that?" 

"Hard telling. She could go for over a day full force and not blink." 

"Did you injure her at all before she came out of the oasis and found us?" 

"Yes. She must have healed on her way out." 

"Does self-regeneration deplete her reserves?" 

"To some extent, yes, using her power to heal herself can cost her, so we could easily have several days to find them. As much as they're apt to not stay in one place too long, they'll have to now. With your original so badly wounded, they'll have to stay put until he can travel." 

"And if she exhausts herself, then they'll have to wait a few extra days until she recovers. She wouldn't want to make a move if she couldn't repair any wounds. How long will it take her to recover?" 

"Depends on how badly she's drained herself. If it's bad, she'll be weak and need to rest for a couple of days. If it's not, she can recover her reserves with a night of sleep. If that's the case, with them _both_ recovering, they'll go someplace extremely safe, a place that they both know with allies to back them up in case shit happens and there's an attack. Know of anyplace they'd go to like that?" 

"I know of only one place in my original's memories that he'd go and that Chimitsu would know to take him if she's watched him carefully over these past few years." 

"Where would that be?" 

"The Highlands of Scotland. My original has friends there. They'll be safe in a castle and have an entire clan of Scots to back them up in case of an attack. I don't know if they'll have a surgeon nearby, but they'll at least have the safety of a castle and numbers." 

"So what do we do until then?" 

"We wait. Rest a bit and in a day or two, we go and attack. There's no need to hurry, Eki. If they don't have a surgeon, they'll have to wait for one to arrive and will only extend the time that my original and yours are recovering from their wounds and power drain." 

"And then?" 

"We attack. By then, we'll have recovered faster than they can and be more than a match for the Scots." 

* * *

_[1]"Dare ga omae wo meirei hasshita ka?"_= "Who gave you the order to shoot?"  
_[2]Baka yarou_= Stupid asshole  
_[3]Omae wa_= You are...  
_[4]Sou ka_= I see...  
_[5]Yurusenai_= I won't forgive you  
_[5]Mueki na onna_= Useless woman 


	12. Juuichi: The Highlands

Heya all! Hope you're enjoying the story so far...because I've still got PLENTY of fun ahead for our beloved Samurai and Elemental. *EG* Wanna make one quick note here about the Scotsman and his wife. Couldn't simply keep calling the duo "Scotsman and Wife" so...gave them very unofficial first names of Duncan and Deirdre. Not sure if I'll throw in an unofficial clan name or not...still looking into a suitable one. Until next time...enjoy! - TN 

* * *

Slowly, I opened my eyes, looking up at a stone ceiling lined with wooden rafters. My head pounded and my entire body ached, but somehow, I was still alive. I closed my eyes again, trying to remember what had last happened to me, why I felt so battered. 

Mad Jack! 

I gasped and bolted upright, looking around for my katana, feeling my heart pound when I saw that it was not at my side. Shit. I could not have lost it, not now, not in this hellish world and definitely not when my dark twin was alive and on the loose. 

My panic doubled when I saw that I was alone in the room, knowing that Chimitsu would not have dared to leave my side for even one moment. I had been found, possibly even captured. I had to get out of here, wounded or not. Too much was at stake for me to stay put and wait for my captors to come back for me. 

My ears caught the sound of the latch turning and I hurried to get out of bed to defend myself. What I had not counted on was the blankets being tangled around my legs and I quickly lost my balance, tumbling off the bed and to the cold, hard floor. 

Instantly, the dull ache in my body doubled into searing pain, making my head spin wildly. I felt sick inside, knowing that my injuries had rendered me helpless, unable to defend myself. I softly swore to myself and tried to pull myself up, wanting to run when I knew I could not fight. 

There was a shattering noise off towards the door and I heard voices and footsteps nearby. A split second later, two sets of hands were on me, trying to keep me from struggling. It hurt even worse to struggle, but there was no way I was going to go down without a fight. I kicked and thrashed, only to be forced back into bed by the stronger of the two. 

"Yamero! Torihanase da!"[1] I cried. 

"Calm down, laddie, we're not going to hurt you!" 

I paused and looked up. That voice. I had not heard it in some time, but there was no mistaking it or the accent it carried. Instantly, I relaxed and laid back, feeling more than a bit ashamed of myself for letting my fear get the better of me for even one second. 

"Duncan...it has been a long time." 

"Aye, that it has. I see you still've got some fight left in ya." 

"Where are we? How did I get here?" 

"You're at the clan castle. Your little angel-lady friend brought you here about three weeks ago." 

"Three weeks?" 

"Aye. Y'were in pretty bad shape there for awhile, at least until we found a surgeon that could remove those bullets." 

"Bullets?" 

I furrowed my brow, trying to remember when I had been shot. I recalled a time awhile back when I had first met Chimitsu, but that had been taken care of in the village I had brought her to. It did not make sense. When in the battle with my twin had I been shot? 

I sighed softly, finally putting the pieces together. The biker gang that had been with him. One of them must have shot me while he had been taunting me right before I had collapsed. Four pains. Four bullets. It made sense now. 

The bed shifted and I turned to see Chimitsu sitting there next to me, smiling as she reached up to brush a few strands of hair from my face. Her gown had changed yet again, no longer the green Chinese print, but now a flowing, white dress that fit close at the top, then flared out at the hips. Her blonde hair flowed down her back and over her shoulders around her wings, making her look more beautiful than any other time I had seen her. 

"Minamoto-chan...sameru wa. Yoroshii."[2] she said with a smile. 

"It is good to see you alive and well, Chimitsu-san. Tell me, how did you know to come here?" 

"I watched you for a long time, silly. Didn't know I was there, but I've watched you for awhile. I knew where to find the castle here." 

I chuckled and then coughed, turning to press my face into the pillow until it had ceased. Itai...[3] I was still too badly wounded to do anyone any good, but it was becoming obvious that if we had been here three weeks, it would only be a matter of time before Aku found us. I could not allow that. So many have suffered already that I could not allow it to continue. 

"We must leave..." I croaked once the coughing fit had stopped. 

Chimitsu and Duncan both shared a look before glancing back at me. 

"Jack...you're in no condition to go anywhere." Chimitsu said. 

"Aye. You could hardly get out of bed! How could you expect to go very far from the castle?" Duncan added. 

I sighed softly, knowing that they were likely right, but still felt that it was extremely urgent that we leave as quickly as possible. 

"We cannot stay much longer. Aku will have his minions looking for us and with his reach across the world, it will not take him long to find us if he truly wishes it. I will not have my friends in danger on my account." I said. 

Duncan looked mildly insulted at this, but showed it for only a moment. 

"Come now! Do you really think we're just gonna sit 'ere and let that nasty demon overlord have 'is way with ye?" 

"He will only kill you for aiding me." 

"Let him try. Friends never walk out on each other and after all you've done for me, you're practically a kinsman. If defending ye means our lives, then so be it. It is more than worth the price to see you free to bring that monster down." 

I sighed heavily, knowing that he would not allow me to argue with him. It was so rare to meet anyone in this world with such a strong sense of loyalty and friendship that I could not refuse. It was as close to the loyalty of a fellow samurai as I would get here to know that he would defend me to the death as I would defend him and I would greatly dishonor us both by refusing to allow him to keep watch while I recovered. 

For this, I would be forever in his debt. 

"Arigatou gozaimasu." I said softly, smiling faintly through the pain at them both. 

Duncan looked to Chimitsu, the confusion written clearly on his face. 

"I certainly hope that was a thank you." he said. 

"It was. A very polite thank you, actually. It means that he is forever in your debt for your help." 

"Aw, now there's no need for that. Friends carry no debts. It's just what we do." 

"Yes, but still. I will never be able to repay you and your clan for your help and protection." I said. 

"Bah! All debts will be repaid tenfold when ye destroy that demon. That's more than enough." 

I sighed and laid back on the pillow, feeling exhausted and aching all over my battered body. Chimitsu reached over and gently caressed my face, smiling that benevolent smile of hers the entire time. Even though I felt worn, felt that we should be on the move again as quickly as possible, she made me feel like everything would be all right, even if Aku's minions and Mad Jack came for us again. 

She turned back to Duncan, who had started for the door, pausing to note the shattered tray and bowl and glass on the floor with scattered silverware. 

"I'm sorry about the dishes, Duncan-san. I panicked when I saw him fall out of bed like that." she said. 

"Don't worry about it." 

"But your wife will surely be angry about it." 

"Ah, Deidre will get over it. Better a broken dish than to lose our friend's life." 

"Still..." 

With a gentle sweep of her hand, the dishes were once again repaired. I watched as he picked up the tray and set it on a table, giving Chimitsu a strange look. 

"Don't go drainin' yourself again, little angel. Dee wouldn't mind a broken dish. She'd be more angry to hear that you strained your magic to fix it instead of savin' it for the lad." he said softly. 

Chimitsu said nothing as he turned towards the door, reaching for the handle. 

"Matte..."[4] I said, pushing myself up into a sitting position. 

Duncan paused and turned back. He may not have understood, but he waited nonetheless. 

"Give my regards to your wife, eh?" I said with a weak smile. 

"Of course, laddie! Now get your rest. You'll never heal if you keep moving around like that." 

I gently shook my head, smiling a bit as I watched him leave, chuckling to himself good-naturedly. I sighed and laid back, trying to keep my emotions under control. How was it that I had failed to see it? Mad Jack...my dark twin...an Elemental... 

The bed shifted again as Chimitsu sat beside me, pulling me up to rest my head in her lap, lightly massaging my jaw and chin. I looked up at her and tried to smile, but it quickly faded with a sigh. Her own smile faded a bit, but her expression still remained quite benevolent. 

"Doushita no?"[5] she asked. 

"I was such a fool." 

"You, Jack Minamoto, a fool? Now, how is that possible?" 

Clearly, she had attempted to make a joke, but it fell flat. 

"I should have known something was amiss when I saw him." 

"Your twin, huh?" 

"Yes. I destroyed him. He disappeared when I came to terms with my emotions, my darker half. Now he returns after nearly a year, stronger than ever, and brings me to within an inch of my life. I should have realized that he was an Elemental sooner." 

"He wasn't an Elemental before?" 

"No, not to my knowledge. The last time we met, I had a bad day, lost my temper, and Aku had taken the opportunity to use his magic to create Mad Jack from those emotions, to personify them. Without the emotions, the dark magic had nothing to solidify or create a person from, and he disappeared." 

"But that didn't happen this time, did it?" 

"No. Controlling my emotions did not help, even if I had the dark emotions needed to bring him around in the first place. Since meeting you, I have had no reason to lose my temper or be angry. Perhaps at myself at times, but nothing that would have brought him around like before. Aku has done something else to create him this time." 

Her brows furrowed for a second before her eyes widened and she paled. 

"Oh my goddess...." 

"What?" 

"My sister. Metal." 

"What about her?" 

"Each Elemental carries a distinctive energy signature, a scent of their respective Elemental magic. You may not be an Elemental, but you have potential, hence your ability to use that sword of yours. When I came out of the oasis after dealing with my own evil double and found you laying on the sand barely alive, I used a bit of power to keep you alive....and then dealt with your double and his gang. When I was tangling with him, I could smell both Metal's and your energy signatures all over him." 

"What do you mean?" 

"Magically and Elementally, he "smelled" just like you and Metal. Like your essenses had been fused somehow into his being. Because he looks like you, your signature was stronger, but I could clearly smell my sister's signature all over him." 

"What could it mean?" 

"I don't know. I didn't even know this was possible. I've heard of fusing Elemental magic into inanimate objects like your sword before, but never into a person. But...I suppose if Aku's powers now include timewarp magic and creating an evil double of you from simply your darker emotions, then I would have to say that his finding away to fuse an Elemental's signature with your double's isn't exactly a surprise." 

Her wings drooped a bit. I could tell that this was not news she wanted to hear or think about, but my double being an Elemental compounded our problems greatly. Last time, he evenly matched my strength and skill to where neither of us could get the better of each other. Now, he had proved that he could easily tear me apart and kill me if he wanted to. 

"This is not your fault, Chimitsu-chan...Aku is cunning and dangerous. He will hide what illegal knowledge he has gained from everyone, including his own minions. When it comes to me, he will only show such powers when they are necessary to be shown and can give him an upper hand." I said, reaching up to lightly wipe away a few tears. 

"I know, but I'm still partly responsible. An Elemental always knows their own, knows what they are capable of. I should have been more alert, more aware to how dangerous he was becoming. Now I fear he is getting out of hand. We can't let this continue or we'll never be able to stop him." 

"We will stop him...or we will die trying." 

She looked at me, her emerald eyes darkening with sorrow. She looked as if she was going to cry. 

"Minamoto-chan, please...don't say that. If you die...then all hope is lost for the world." she said, her voice heavy with emotion. 

I slowly sat up and reached over, gently tipping her chin up so she could look at me and I could gaze into her eyes. 

"We will destroy Aku and restore order. I swear it." 

"You know that I can't do anything to destroy him directly. It is forbidden by Elemental Law for me to do anything of the sort. You're the only one who can destroy him forever. Without you, without your pure bloodline, there won't be anyone left to wield the sword. Nobody who has the skill of the ancients like you do. Anyone else would quickly fall to the demon and his minions." 

"And the Star of the Elements?" 

"It was meant for you to have when its power is needed. I don't think there's anyone left in this world that it would accept but you, samurai." 

Her wings trembled a bit as she struggled to hold back a sob. She could be cheerful, yes, but it was clear that it was hiding what lay beneath the surface. A deep sorrow that weighed heavily upon her heart, threatening to break her if she allowed it. 

"Chimitsu-chan..." 

"I will do the best I can to finish healing you." 

"Finish?" 

"Yes. I'm afraid I wasn't able to do it all in one shot. Most of my energy was spent keeping you alive until the surgeon could arrive and in regenerating my own injuries on the way out of the oasis. I've only been able to do healing for you in small chunks of time instead of all at once like I've been doing." 

"I see. That is what Duncan meant when he scolded you for repairing the broken dishes. He did not want you spending your power on little things like that when you could save it and spend it on healing me." 

"I'm sorry I'm not strong enough to finish the job." 

"It is not a matter of being strong enough. Your are doing your best, trying to do better than your best by overextending your powers to the point of exhaustion. It is more than enough. I am awake, I am alive, and we will get through this just fine. It would not be the first time I have narrowly escaped with my life." 

"I know, Minamoto-chan, but this time it's do or die. Tomorrow isn't a given anymore. You're not going to get up and fight bounty hunters tomorrow, you might wake up and fight Aku and his stronger minions, or you might not wake up at all. For you to not be at your best is unforgivable, especially if I'm at fault for not making sure you stay in good health." 

She hid her face in her hands and I sighed softly, gently pulling her close so she could cry on my shoulder. She was putting so much on her shoulders, blaming herself for things she had no control over in order to ensure that my quest to destroy Aku went through as intended. She even refused to allow herself to mourn her sisters or feel sorry for herself, putting on a happy, cheerful face to keep me going, yet all the while, her own heart was torn from her own brushes with Aku's treachery. 

I held her tight, being careful of her wings, letting her cry. We were alone and it was no longer necessary for her to hide her heart behind a mask of cheerfulness, although I had to admire her stoicism a little bit. Even I would not have been able to face so much were I in her place. 

I would have crumbled long ago to face the loss of four sisters and narrowly escape a subsequent attack on my own life. No wonder she fought so hard to see to it that I lived long enough to see my quest through to the end. It was all she had left to live for. Not only would Aku's death avenge my parents and my people, restore my honor, but it would also avenge the deaths of her sisters, deaths that she could not avenge herself. 

"Shh...Chimitsu-chan...you are doing more than is necessary to help me. Please...rest and make sure you keep yourself in good health. With your energy reserves drained, you cannot heal me, and I cannot keep myself in good health and recover from injury as quickly. If we are to see Aku destroyed, then we will both have to keep ourselves healthy." I said softly. 

She paused and looked up at me, crystalline tears shimmering in the twin pools of emerald. She quickly blinked them away and lowered her gaze, not quite in shame, but not in sorrow, either. Her expression was difficult to read now, although it almost seemed like she was contemplating something. 

"You're right. I can't lose myself in my sorrow. I need to stay strong, keep my spirits up, keep us both healthy. Arigatou." she said, looking up with a wistful smile on her face. 

She lightly trailed a fingertip along my jaw and chin, gently flicking a stray strand of hair out of my face again. 

"Rest now, Minamoto-kun. I'll see you in the morning and do what I can to heal your wounds then." she said, her hands gently cupping my face. 

A second later, she leaned up, lightly kissing my forehead. With her so close, I could smell a scent radiating from her, reminding me of a breeze like the kind that came after a spring rain. If only we could stay like this...for just awhile longer. 

"Oyasuminasai."[6] she whispered softly. 

"Oyasumi." 

Quietly, she rose from sitting next to me on the bed and disappeared out the door, leaving me alone in the room. I sighed softly, wondering just what I was going to do until I had fully recovered, not wanting to be so useless. She had wanted me to rest, but I did not quite feel like sleeping again. 

I briefly glanced to the pillow she had been half sitting on, noticing a single white feather laying on top of it. I reached over and picked it up, carefully inspecting it. It had to have come from Chimitsu's wings when it was as large as it was, yet it felt so light. It was almost hard to believe that something so delicate was strong enough to lift her into flight. 

I smiled softly to myself and set the soft feather on the table beside the bed before laying back down and curling up, deciding to go back to sleep. 

* * *

_[1]"Yamero! Torihanase da!"_= "Stop! Let me go!"  
_[2]"Minamoto-chan...sameru wa. Yoroshii."_= "Minamoto-chan...you're awake. Good."  
_[3]Itai_= It hurts. Here, it's more along the lines of "That hurt..." Also means "Ouch!"  
_[4]Matte_= Wait  
_[5]"Doushita no?"_= "What's wrong?"  
_[6]"Oyasuminasai."_ = A polite form of "goodnight." The shortened "Oyasumi" is also "goodnight." Same principle as the earlier notation of "gomen nasai" and its shortened variant of "gomen." 


	13. Juuni: Kidnapping

Days passed and little had changed since I first awoke. Chimitsu could only repair my injuries a little bit at a time, spending the rest of it asleep so her powers could regenerate. I spent most of this time in bed, thinking and waiting anxiously for the day when we would be able to leave, hoping that nothing would happen to any of us until then. 

Eventually, I was allowed to wander a bit around the castle, exploring what I could. If anything was to happen while we were here, then I wanted to know the layout of the castle. Knowing one's surroundings was essential when defending from attack and if you did not know your surroundings well, you certainly would not be able to defend them. 

One morning, I watched a friendly arm-wrestling match between Chimitsu and Angus from my window, having been awakened by cheers and chants from the rest of the clansmen. Chimitsu calmly held her ground, nonchalantly inspecting the nails of her free hand while Angus struggled to push her arm down, using all of his strength until his face had turned as red as his hair. After a few moments, she looked back at him and calmly pushed his arm over until his hand touched the table. 

I chuckled softly to myself as I watched the clansmen rib Angus over being beaten by a delicate woman and I wondered if only Duncan had known that she was an Elemental. A bout of arguing and friendly wrestling erupted down on the grass before several of the men began to place bets as to who would be able to take her down in an arm-wrestling match. Angus was their strongest clansman as far as I knew, which meant that those other poor souls would not have a chance. 

Shaking my head, I closed the glass windows and returned to bed, knowing that Chimitsu would return in time for another healing session and to return to sleep. That sort of strength was natural for an Elemental and from what she had told me, did not drain her energy reserves any more than flying did. Her reserves apparently drained whenever she used any of her magic, not any amount of strength or physical power. 

Yet, I had a feeling that there was something she was not telling me. She was by no means weak and rest did help her restore her power, but she could only heal a little bit at a time. Was she too drained to do more or was she simply saving her power? I began to wonder if she had drained herself more than she was letting on. If she had been saving her power, she would not have been sleeping as much as she did. 

One night, I awoke from a startling dream and rolled over to see her slumped in a chair nearby, sound asleep. Her wings fluttered a little on occasion while she slept, but she did not move otherwise. I realized then that she spent each night at my side, sleeping in a chair to protect me from attack, which would explain her inability to fully restore her energies. Sleeping in a chair with wings on her back had to be uncomfortable, and if she was alert for an attack, then it was not a very restful sleep she was getting each night. 

It was clear that I was not the only one concerned about an attack from Aku or my evil double. 

Yet, if she suffered from her lack of sleep, she did not show it when I saw her again in the morning. She was always very cheerful, although I had to wonder if she was still suffering inside, forcing the pain back again for my sake. I did not want her to do such a thing, but I knew that I could not stop her from doing so, either. 

Each morning, I was greeted with her smiling face, knowing that she would awaken long before I had even stirred. Slowly, with each day's healing session, my injuries were repaired, although she had the greatest of difficulty healing the bullet wounds in my chest and stomach. Her explanation was hard to follow, but she said that I had been bleeding on the inside from those wounds and that I had been fortunate to survive. 

Without her help, it was certain that I would not have lived. 

Shortly after she and Duncan allowed me out of bed to walk around the castle for exercise, his wife brought my repaired kimono back to me. Chimitsu had used a small amount of power to remove the bloodstains, but the stitching had all been done by Dee. If I had not known where I had been struck, I would not have been able to tell that the garment had ever been torn. 

A few mornings after the wrestling match, I awoke to find that Chimitsu was not waiting for me as usual. With the exception of when I had awakened that first day, Chimitsu had always been at my side when I awoke in the mornings. For her to not be waiting for me, there had to be something wrong. 

I flung aside the blankets and stood, dressing, finding the air to be cold and damp. Rain pelted the glass windows of the room and the air held a cold pall to it. I began to get a bad feeling as I tucked my katana into my obi, heading out of the room. 

The hallway on the other side of the door was cold and silent as I padded down towards the stairs. I peered over the railing by the stairs, finding the entrance hall completely empty. On a day like this, everyone usually stayed inside near the fire to keep warm. I had no clue what time it was, so perhaps everyone else was in bed still, especially when the fire was nonexistant, but I really had a bad feeling about the silence that had fallen over the castle. 

I crept down the stairs, looking for any sign of danger or that the castle had been attacked. Surely, if there had been an attack, I would have heard some sort of noise, especially from the Scots. Yet I had heard nothing, only silence. The only possible sign of any danger I found downstairs was a tipped over chair with a gouge mark in it and a single white feather. 

That was more than enough for me, but if there had been a struggle in the castle, the Scots would have known and their noisiness would have jolted me awake. The struggle may have started in here, but it had to have gone outside for nobody to know about it. I hurried to the door and flung it open, squinting out through the rain, wondering where they could have gone. 

The cold rain was coming down hard, making it almost impossible to see very far. I ignored the cold and dashed out into the grass barefoot, looking around the castle grounds frantically for any sign of Chimitsu. She could have taken the battle miles away if she had wished, but I doubted that she would have done so. She would not have wanted to leave the castle where I was, leaving it open to attack. 

When I found nothing close to the castle, I hurried down to the bridge that connected the small island the castle sat on in the loch to the mainland, knowing that was the only way away from the castle. About three quarters of the way there, I tripped over something, colliding with the rain-drenched ground hard enough to hurt a bit. I slowly pulled myself up and looked through strands of soaked hair to see a single Grecian sandal lying there in the grass. 

My heart pounded in my chest when I saw it, knowing that it belonged to Chimitsu. I reached over and picked it up, seeing that a few of its straps had been snapped and an odd, rust-colored liquid stained the soles. Blood. If she had been attacked, she was wounded, possibly even dead. With the heavy rain, it was hard telling just how much blood had been spilled and how much was hers and what belonged to her assailant. 

A closer inspection of the broken strap told me that it had not snapped, but had been cut. The leather had a straight-edged cut to it, instead of a jagged tear. Mad Jack. Oh, gods, he had found us and she had tried to head him off, to chase him away. But where was she? 

I spotted something white in the grass a few feet away and hurried over with the sandal in hand, eyes widening when I saw a scattering of feathers. Bloodstained feathers at that. The rain had failed to wash away all of the blood that covered them, but aside from the feathers and the sandal, I had no other sign of where she could have gone. The rain had washed away all the blood and any footprints that might have been in the mud. 

I picked up a handful of the feathers that littered the ground, knowing that she had plenty of feathers to spare, inspecting the few that were there. The bloodstains were still rather fresh, but did it mean that she had taken to flight or had she been unable to fly at all? If she had injured a wing badly enough, she would not be able to take to the sky. Perhaps with this heavy rain, she could not have flown anyways, I did not know. 

I let the feathers flutter to the ground and began to cross the bridge, wondering if I would be able to find any sign of a struggle on the other side of it. Without any ability to fly, I knew that she had only two other means of traveling without a horse or flying carriage. One way was on foot. The other way was teleportation, and if she or Mad Jack had used such a power, they could be anywhere in the world at this point. 

Feeling weak, I held onto the wooden railing, walking along until I came to the other side. I gave a short cry of pain when something sharp sliced into my hand and quickly drew away from the railing, looking down at the wood. Perhaps it was only a splinter, but at the rate things were going, I was beginning to doubt it. 

Looking closer, I found a single, four-pointed shuriken stuck into the wood, pinning a piece of paper to it. I tugged it free and looked at the rain-soaked paper, finding that the ink written on it had not faded or run from being so wet. Magic, no doubt left behind by my double. Unfolding it, I read the elegantly-written kana bearing more than a few rude and mocking words from my dark twin. 

Softly, I swore to myself, crumpling the paper in my hand. He had Chimitsu now and was no doubt intending to destroy her. Even if I did show myself as he wished, he would still destroy us both. He knew all too well that I would not simply stay away and let him destroy her, even though I knew it was a trap. My honor would not allow me to leave her in harm's way. 

I did not know whether to be angry or furious, but I did feel like tearing my double apart at that moment, even though the emotion would likely make him stronger. Damnit! We had been here too long and now Chimitsu had fallen trying to keep him away when one of us is all that he would need to draw the other out into a trap. 

_"CHIMITSUUUU!"_

The fist that was clenched tightly around his note shook with my rage and I slammed it down onto the wooden railing. I ignored the cold rain that poured down, now completely soaked from head to foot. I looked towards the sandal that I had dropped upon being cut by the shuriken and sighed, leaning down to pick it up. 

I turned it over in my hands, debating what to do next. I had to go after her, that much was certain, but was I ready? Was I strong enough to follow and battle my double, or were we both doomed? There was only one answer to that. I had to be. I could not spare any time for weakness or on my fury at the loss now. 

She could be anywhere in the world now. It was well known that Aku had many lairs hidden around the world and my dark twin could have taken her to any one of them. It would take me days to find her now. Clearly, Chimitsu had either flown with me from the deserts to the south and east or teleported with me to the Highlands, but I had no such powers. I could only ride a horse or walk. 

I looked up from the railing and the waters running beneath the bridge only when I felt a heavy fur being draped over my shoulders. Just behind me stood Duncan, a bit soaked himself, but clearly concerned about me and how long I had been standing out here in the rain. Lights illuminated the castle now and I knew that I had awakened everyone with my earlier cry. 

"She is gone." I said softly, handing him the paper. 

He took a glance at it before handing it back. 

"What does it say, laddie? I can't read this strange language of yours." 

"He has her. He has taken her to one of Aku's castles and is awaiting my arrival. He will know when I have left to find her and will know when I am close to arrival. If I do not leave within two days, he will have her destroyed." 

"Who has her?" 

"Mad Jack. My dark twin, created by Aku. He looks exactly like me, but dresses differently and acts completely the opposite of how I would." 

"Can't say I know 'im. Come. Let's get you out of this cold rain and warmed up by the fire. You can explain the rest there." 

He led me back to the castle, where the rest of the clansmen and women were waiting anxiously, some of the men with their swords in hand. I was given a few moments to change out of my soaked kimono and into a robe borrowed from one of the others, being wrapped in a heavy, thick blanket by Dee, who was not about to let me refuse and catch a chill. I headed back downstairs and sat by the fire, seeing the note and Chimitsu's sandal sitting on one of the tables. 

"What's this all about, Jack? Where's ye angel lady?" Angus asked. 

"Gone. They took her." 

"They?" 

"Aku's minions. They found us." 

"But we didn't hear anything. Surely we would've heard something if there'd been a struggle." 

I shook my head, smoothing out the note and looking over the kana again. He wrote exactly like me, just as elegantly, but his language was full of disrespect and rudeness. He was taunting me, toying with me. He knew that he had me at death's doorstep and that Chimitsu had escaped with me to restore my wounds. 

"There was a brief struggle, but she took it outside to keep us from awakening and getting involved. That wooden chair that had been overturned had a gouge mark in it. That sort of cut can only be done by a sword like my own, a katana." 

"What are ye gettin' at?" 

"She took it outside, perhaps even began to lead the battle away from the castle, only to be overpowered. I found that note and her sandal and a handful of her feathers outside near the bridge. That note was, in fact, pinned to the railing of the bridge by a Japanese throwing star, which makes me think- no, I know- he is involved." 

"He? He who?" 

"My dark twin, known only as Mad Jack. At least, that is what he appears to be calling himself." 

"We didn't know ye had a twin. When did you have a twin?" 

"I did not exactly have a twin. I was an only child. This dark twin was created by Aku's magic, some time before I met any of you, but I thought he had been destroyed." 

"How?" 

"As much as it shames me to say it, I lost my temper on a very bad day. Aku used this to his advantage and used my emotions and his magic to create my twin. But he was not solid. He could not be kept in this world without my emotions, by Aku's magic alone. When I came to terms with my dark emotions and made them a part of me, he disappeared." 

"But if he was destroyed, why'd he come back now?" 

"Because he is an Elemental, just like Chimitsu. She is not an angel, she is an Elemental, the guardian of the Four Winds. Aku is also an Elemental, but is getting out of hand. He is breaking known Elemental Laws, one of which is the timewarp spell he used to send me here to this time. One of the others is killing Chimitsu's sisters and trying to kill her. Now it seems that a third broken law is fusing part of one of her sisters' Elemental essenses with some of my own to create Mad Jack again, and this time, he does not rely on my darker emotions to keep him here." 

"Why did he go after 'er then?" 

"Bait. It is clearly a trap and we all know it. This dark twin, he looks exactly like me, only dressing differently and acting conversely to how you all know me to act. He possesses every ounce of knowledge and martial skill that I do, making him extremely dangerous. I must go after her in two days or he will destroy her." 

"Have you gone mad? You can't do it alone! Let us help!" 

"I cannot allow that. I am sorry, but it is too dangerous. I must do this alone." 

"You've gone insane! There's no way you'll be able to penetrate Aku's fortress in time!" 

"He will know when I have left. I do not know how, he just says that he will know if I have left and I cannot risk him or Aku learning that I have help. They will surely kill you all before we reach our goal and that would be foolish. I appreciate your offer, but I cannot allow it. What Aku has failed to realize is that his spell works both ways. Mad Jack knows me and I know him. I know what he is capable of, how he thinks, and that alone will give me enough of a chance to know how to reach her." 

There was a clear murmur of disappointment through the clan, but I was not about to let them throw their lives away on my account. I honestly did appreciate their offer, but they had wives and children and I was a lone man without anything left in the world. I was expendable, they were not, despite what Chimitsu had said. 

We two were one and the same, bearing the same burdens and holding the same goal. Without her, I could not complete my quest. Without me, she could not complete hers. I had the knowledge necessary to battle my dark twin and reach her in one piece. They did not know what he was capable of and I knew that they would easily fall to his trickery. And even if they did make their way past him, they were no match for the ancient, Elemental Aku. 

Slowly, they broke up the meeting and retreated to their separate parts of the castle, leaving behind only Duncan. I sighed softly and stared at Mad Jack's note, unable to help but feel furious about his boldness to come all this way in an attack. 

"Why must ye go after the angel, laddie? You know it's a trap, that you have little chance of making it to her." he said. 

"It is just something I must do. Twice now, she has saved my life and I have only repaid the favor once. Honor demands that I go after her again, even if it is a trap. To leave her to the fates would be absolutely unexcusable." 

"Would you listen to yourself? You're going into the jaws of death for a woman who's probably dead already! Let your honor go for once, eh?" 

"_No!_ Chimitsu is not dead! I know she is not. And I cannot, for any reason, let my honor go. To let her die means my death. If I fail, then I can only atone for it with my death." 

"Suicide? Are you mad?!" 

"It is the way of the samurai and you know it. Like it or not, I must do this or die." 

"And if ye die, then who'll be left to fight Aku?" 

"I am sure there will be another." 

"But not another with your skill and purity, even I know that." 

I sighed heavily, knowing that I had no other choice and that to argue with him meant lost time, time I did not have to lose. 

"She is my only ticket home, Duncan. Without her help, I cannot defeat Aku, I cannot return home, and without me...she cannot avenge the deaths of her sisters. She cannot lay a hand on Aku to kill him, not when Elemental Law forbids it. In the death of the demon, I restore my honor and her sisters are avenged. I must go after her, no matter what the danger." I said quietly. 

He quieted down and looked at me, his eyes showing thoughtfulness. 

"Well, I'll be. You're in love with the little angel, aren't ye?" he asked. 

"What?" 

I looked at him, wondering how he could possibly suggest such a thing when Chimitsu's life was hanging in the balance at the hands of my double. 

"I can see it written all over your face, lad. You're in love with her. That's why ye want to go after her so badly, why you want to face that evil twin of yours and make your way through 'is trap." 

"That is preposterous. I have no time for love with anyone. How could I when I am always on the run from Aku? I am never in one place long enough to fall in love with anyone." 

"Aye, that may be true, but you have been in her presense for a long time now, on the run together, and that's been more'n enough time for you to fall for 'er." 

I sighed again and he gave me a pat on the back. 

"It's more than all right. Go on...dry yourself off and go after your angel. She's more than worth the trouble." 

I looked up at him and he smiled, showing that no hard feelings had passed between us over my refusing to allow him and the clan to aid me. This mission was a personal matter in more ways than one and he could not get involved unless I wished it. For now, I would take the time to dry myself and my kimono off and then, I would go to find Chimitsu. 

Was it love? I had not a clue, for I had never felt any such feeling before towards anyone but my family. Romance was something that rarely crossed my mind since I had arrived here. The closest I had come to thinking about it had been before I knew that Ikra was Aku and after that, I had given up. I did not dare trust my heart completely to a woman lest I be taken advantage of again. 

But if this was love, then Duncan was right. Chimitsu was more than worth facing Mad Jack and his trap for. 


	14. Juusan: Trap

Hihi! Heh...forgot to put this up last time I updated. :P Silly me. :P Ok, yes, here we go, Chapter 13 of War of Shadows. Wow...13 chapters already. *whews* I'm still here, still writing, and you might now notice a few tweaks to these current chapters. I've been meaning to do that for awhile and had enough time today to mess with it. 

Chapter 7 will probably have the most noticable change in the dialogue between Aku and Mad Jack. Felt that there was need to clarify the means in which MJ was reincarnated upon reading it over again. Aside from that, the only changes were to fix some grammatical errors and change the translation notes from * to something like [1] that. 

Also, due to improvement in my Japanese as of late(mostly verb conjugation), I tweaked some of the words used in the fic and did a HUGE work-over with the opening Prologue. The imagery should still be ok, but if not, eh, lol, expect some fixing on it on my part at my discretion(ie: when I feel it needs fixing. :P). Updates, for now, are still only going to be on Fridays simply because my life's a tad hectic(especially with the holidays coming up, oy), but...to answer your question, Weird Freaky Person, I may very well post on Tuesdays as well. It's agonizing for me to sit and know I'm only posting one chapter a week. Oh well. It's only until things settle down and I can keep myself ahead of schedule. ;P 

And Two-Faced: Heh. Have a Japanese national read it. I'm sure I'm not that great. :P I only had one year of formal Japanese education in college, then they didn't offer any further courses, so I got my hands on as many dictionaries as I could find and afford and taught myself after that. Honestly, your Japanese isn't that bad at all. Really. :) A little determination and a lotta dictionaries goes a long way. *wink* 

Ok, ok, enough ranting from moi. ;P You didn't come here to read my notes. You came to read my stories. *grin* Jaa! - TN 

* * *

**Mad Jack**

I watched as the minions shackled the Wind Elemental into place, stretching her arms overhead and securing the chain on a bolted plate in a rafter above before skittering away into the darkness. She was beautiful, yes, but quite the nuisance. All that it'd take is getting my original here and they would be quickly be put to death. 

But not before I'd had my fun with her. 

Ekirei sat perched on a flame-colored boulder nearby, giving me quite the view up her short, tight, leather skirt. Briefly, I wondered if she tasted as delicious as she looked, but shoved the thought away in favor of focusing on the job I had to do first. Eki was as beautiful as her original and unfortunately, just as annoying when she wanted to be. If not for that, I might have considered bedding her. 

"Let's get this show on the road already, geeze." she griped. 

"Patience, Eki. Lord Aku will begin her torture soon enough." 

"Not soon enough for me. I wanna see the little bitch squirm." 

I chuckled and sat next to her, watching the little angel dangle from her chains, a thin trickle of blood trailing down from above her temple, down her cheek and jaw, and on down her neck. Between Aku's magic and the blow I had dealt her, she would remain unconscious for some time, which was fine with me, so long as she woke up before my original arrived. 

Eki tapped her nails on the boulder for a bit before pausing and looking over at me. I didn't see her look, ignoring her in favor of watching her original hang there, imagining the fun I was going to have when she woke up. However, I didn't see her move behind me, either, or feel her hands roam across my back and over my chest. 

At least, not until her hand had made its way down into the front of my pants. 

_"EKI!"_ I roared. 

I cursed her loudly as I tore her hand away, watching her retreat back to her own boulder. She giggled mischieviously as I adjusted my pants, her gaze fixed on my crotch. Ever since I'd chased her from my castle in the mountains, she'd made it a point to make my life a frustrated hell by teasing me every chance she got. 

Oh, how I hated her for doing that. Every opportune moment for her to fuck with me was at the worst possible time for me. I knew that she was only doing it to break me, to see how long it would take me before I finally gave in and took her, just to shut her the hell up, but she would have to do more than gropes and panty shots to drive me that far. 

"Gotcha." she said with a nasty grin. 

I shifted a bit and went back to watching Chimitsu, feeling more than a bit uncomfortable now. 

"Bitch." I muttered under my breath, hoping she wouldn't hear it. 

She continued to watch me with a grin on her face until Chimitsu began to stir, thrashing against her chains as if she'd been possessed. Actually, it almost would have been even more fun if she _had_ been possessed, but Elementals were almost impossible for demons to possess. Usually the purity of a Light Elemental would vaporize any demon that tried, which really took all the fun out of it. 

She thrashed and screamed unearthly screams, sending shivers of delight down my spine as I watched. Oh yes, whatever Lord Aku was making her see in her unconsciousness was doing the trick quite well. Eki seemed to be very interested as well, momentarily stopping her torment of me to watch. 

I could see her power flare up, wings stretching out, but of little use to her when she was chained down. The chains rattled noisily as she struggled and screamed, the wooden rafter creaking overhead. I was mildly surprised, but didn't worry, knowing that her power was weaker here in Lord Aku's domain. She wouldn't be able to break the chains or the rafter by any means. 

Eventually, she stopped, hanging there with tears streaming down her face, still unconscious. She'd either exhausted herself or Lord Aku had seen fit to finish her torment, which was a pity. She'd been quite entertaining to watch while under torture. 

But...that meant that it was our turn now. 

"Any sign of the original?" I asked Eki. 

"Hell no. You know he ain't gonna come for her, MJ." 

I laughed off the thought, much to her dismay. 

"He'll come for her. He knows it's a trap, but he'll still come. His "honor" won't allow him to leave her to us." 

"How can you be so sure?" 

"I can feel it. He's left the Highlands by now. Left hours ago." 

"Does he know where to go?" 

"He knows. He'll follow the connection between us all the way here." 

"How long 'till he gets here?" 

"Don't know, don't care. Just as long as it gives me enough time to play with our little playmate here." 

"Can I watch?" 

"No. You...are to watch for the original and bring him to me when he arrives. I don't want him to miss the show." 

"Oh, so the original can watch, but I can't, huh?" 

"Not the opening act, but don't worry...I think you'll enjoy the feature presentation." 

She poutily slunk away, leaving me to her original. She'd be waking up soon and I had just barely enough time to ready myself. She was going to get the shock of a lifetime when she came around, if she didn't figure it out first. With Aku's power permeating every inch of this fortress, I doubted she would. 

I changed into a white kimono identical to my original's and drew my hair back into a topknot like his, using the tiniest amount of magic to make it look as if I had been fighting my way to her. Now, all she had to do was wake up and the fun would begin. 

I waited for a few moments before finally, the twin emerald orbs opened, clouded with pain and the fading effects of Aku's magic. I leaned in towards her, tenderly caressing her face, hiding my true intentions. Her eyes widened with recognition and even a bit of hope. It was going to be ecstatic to watch that hope crumble to ash. 

"Jack....?" she asked weakly. 

"It is me. Are you all right?" 

"Oh goddess, I had the worst nightmare. I dreamt that I fought your double and was brought to Aku's castle..." 

"You were brought to Aku's castle, but fear not, I am here now." 

She looked around, fear showing a little bit in her eyes when she saw that she was being held in Aku's torture chamber. Poor baby. Too bad she wasn't about to see anything else ever again before we had her destroyed. 

"How'd you get here without Aku knowing?" 

"I have my ways. He is...occupied for awhile, so we will have plenty of time to get you out of here." 

"Good. Cut me loose so we don't waste any time." 

Oh, but I couldn't do that. That would ruin all my fun. I paused, my expression darkening while I searched along my connection to my original to find anything I could use against her. Perfect. 

"Jack....what's wrong?" she asked. 

"What is wrong? What is wrong is that you are always depending on me." 

"Depending on you? I've been taking care of you!" 

"Oh? If you were going to take care of me, then why did you foolishly fight Mad Jack and leave me alone with the Scots? Did you think that I would not be able to handle him?" 

"You were injured! You weren't in any condition to fight anyone. I had to do something to keep him away!" 

It was all I could do to keep from laughing. Oh, this was just too good to be true! She really thought I was Minamoto and was pouring her heart out in defending herself to me. 

"I am samurai! Injury means nothing to me! I fight when I am needed, no matter what the cost!" 

"Minamoto-chan...what's gotten into you? I know you were reluctant to rest, but you knew that pushing yourself wouldn't do any good." 

"And neither does relying on you. Some help you were. You could not even do a proper healing. You had to do it in small parts." 

"You know as well as I do that I had my own injuries to recover from and had to keep you alive long enough to get help. Did you want me to completely drain myself into a coma and make our recovery time even longer?" 

"But at least I could have fought to defend you. Men should not be defended by women. They should defend the women instead!" 

Her eyes widened. Knowing my chivalrous original, he would never have dared to say such a thing to her. He may have believed in defending a lady, but he also recognized when a lady could defend herself and respected that. 

"Minamoto-kun...." 

"You are useless, woman. You cannot heal, you cannot protect, and you cannot fight. Look at you. You hang there, helpless, weak, needing a _man_ to come and free you." 

Crystalline tears welled up in her eyes, spilling freely down her cheeks as she heard this. Oh, I wished that I could've laughed, but that would only spoil my act. It wouldn't do to have her figure everything out so soon. 

I reached up and gently wiped away the tears, watching her expression cloud with confusion. She clearly didn't know what to think or say to me. Her chivalrous hero, suddenly turning cold and hateful. Of course it wouldn't make sense...because it wasn't him. 

"You even put so much on your own shoulders that you are willing to wear yourself down for the sake of keeping me on my quest. So unselfish, so loving...it is your only good quality. The way a woman should be." 

"That's not all that we women are. We do love unconditionally, unselfishly, but we also protect, comfort, and heal. We aren't weak or useless, you even said that yourself." 

"I lied. But that is all right. Everything will be made right again as soon as we are out of here and as soon as Aku is destroyed. But I need the Star of the Elements first." 

"I don't have it. Your double asked that of me in battle and Aku's minions searched me, but I simply don't have it." 

"But I need it if I am to defeat Aku." 

"I'm sorry, but the time isn't right. It's not time for you to use the Star, so I cannot give it to you." 

"I see. A pity. Without it, I cannot defeat Aku and without his defeat, we can never be free." 

"This isn't like you, Jack. You _never_ give up! Why are you giving up now, just because you don't have the Star?" 

"Because an item like that carries great power, power enough to destroy Aku and send me back home." 

"You know that the Star can't send you back home. I already told you that when I first told you about the Star and its power. Besides...power doesn't necessarily mean strength. I thought you knew that." 

Shit! I had searched through the connection to his memory, but not far enough. I had to cover and I had to cover fast. No problem. Stay cool, and she wouldn't get even the least bit suspicious. 

"Of course, but...this is Aku we are talking about. He is powerful and power is what we need to defeat him. Chimitsu-chan...." 

I gently caressed her teary face, seeing worry and fear in her eyes. She was frightened. She was scared to be in this place of torment and clearly thinking about whatever it was Aku had done to her. It was probably for the best that we hadn't seen it. When he chooses to torment someone through their mind, they never come out with their sanity intact. 

She didn't cringe under my touch, which meant that she didn't have a clue who I really was. Last time, she'd been able to smell out the difference without even getting close to me. Now, I was inches away from her and she didn't know the difference. Aku's presense was much too strong and it covered the darkness in my own essense. 

"Minamoto-chan...please...get me outta here. Let's go before they find you here." she said, the tears flowing again. 

I gently wiped them away, leaning close to her. Oh, this was going to be fun! If only Eki would stay away long enough and not screw this up... If she showed up with my original now, my ruse would be spoiled and I wouldn't be able to enjoy all the fun from this. 

"Chimitsu-chan...." 

"Jack....please...let's get out of here. You're no use to the world dead." 

Ohhh, this was too much! The Elemental was in love with my original and he hadn't a clue! I searched through his memories as best I could, but he didn't know that she was falling in love with him. And to make it even more delicious, it seemed that my original was falling in love with her. 

I laughed mentally to myself, knowing that this was the icing on the cake. All Eki had to do was stay away just a bit longer and I would be able to crush the delicate Elemental. A pity she wouldn't be able see me break her original, but Eki had other things to do and her presense would ruin everything. 

"Ai shiteru..."[1] I whispered before kissing her savagely. 

She squealed in surprise beneath the kiss as my tongue snaked into her mouth, my hands holding her head tightly against mine. I knew that my original didn't know how to kiss like that and that she would likely figure it out, but it didn't matter now. She was going to be broken and if I had my way, she wouldn't trust my original again after this. After all, he lied to her about his feelings, why would she have any reason to trust what he said now? 

I broke away, breathing hard, seeing a sorrowful look in her eyes. Not bad for such an innocent little thing, but she and my original certainly deserved each other. However, the kiss was enough to make her suspicious. My original wasn't bold enough to kiss her, much less kiss her like that. 

"Wait a minute. You're not Minamoto-chan." she said. 

"What? Why would you say that? Of course it is me." 

"No you're not. Jack wouldn't have kissed me like that. He's much too polite and gentlemanly to do that. He wouldn't talk about women like that, either. He respects women." 

"My beloved Chimitsu-chan..." 

"Don't call me that! You don't deserve to call me that, you bastard!" 

I growled softly, not liking her defiant tone. This wasn't what I had in mind when I had kissed her. It appeared that I hadn't broken her at all, only made her stronger and more defiant. Damnit all anyways. Hnf. Fine. She knew I wasn't Minamoto, and that was just fine. Playtime was over. 

I quickly teleported my own clothes back on, the white kimono melting away as my hair broke free from the topknot, spilling down around my shoulders. I swung around hard as I could, backhanding her across the face, watching as her head snapped to the side. She stayed there for a moment with a red mark growing into a bruise on her jaw, only to turn around and glare at me with sheer hatred, those emerald green eyes sparking furiously. 

"You're getting much too spunky for your own good, Chimitsu. Keep that up and you might not live long enough to regret it." I snarled. 

"Oh, I'm sure you already had that in mind, Mad Jack. I should have known you would have tried some shit like that with me. You're very predictable, you know that?" 

"But you have to admit, you enjoyed that kiss, didn't you?" 

"Oh hell no. I've met slaves who kiss better than you do." 

I snarled and raised my hand again, ready to slap her, only to be interrupted by Ekirei's arrival. 

"Am I interrupting some kinky fun here?" she asked. 

I was about to reprimand her for mouthing off, only to see that she had successfully brought down my original. He dangled over her shoulder and wings, completely unconscious. Perfect. Now that _real_ fun was about to begin. 

"Not at all. Was he much trouble?" 

"Nope. Where do ya want him?" 

"Hang him facing the other wall. He can be yours to toy with while I have my fun with her." 

Eki grinned and began to secure my original into place while I turned back to Chimitsu, grinning nastily. I could see the fear in her eyes and that was just fine with me. The more fear she was feeling, the more fun this would be for me. 

"Now, precious angel...the real fun begins...." 

* * *

_[1]"Ai shiteru..."_= "I love you..." 


	15. Juuyon: Narrow Escape

Hihi! Sorries for the delay! FF.net had a few snags and I had a few of my own. But, fear not, here's the update and there may be more soon, depending on my life away from fanfiction and a few other things. I usually don't post any warnings with my chapters or fics, but, for the sake of the sensitive content, I feel that it might help. To those who have difficulty in dealing with difficult subjects such as attempted rape, then turn back right now. It isn't an all-out rape scene(personally can't write those), but it comes close enough so if you'd rather not read, then you might do well to turn back. If torture and emotional torment's your game, then proceed. You have been warned, so if this bothers you do NOT email or harass me with the intent on flaming me. Flames can and will be completely ignored. Until next time...enjoy. - TN 

* * *

Slowly, my eyes opened, revealing a room deep within Aku's lair. My arms were stretched over my head and chained together, drawing a soft curse from my lips. Captured. Overtaken and captured and brought to Aku's dungeons. Not exactly how I had planned it, but Chimitsu was at least nearby. 

But so was Mad Jack. 

I could not make out what they were saying, but I could tell that Chimitsu was frightened. What worried me more than that was the waves of twisted pleasure that were radiating along the connection between myself and my double. I did not like what I was feeling or where this was headed. We had to get away and fast. 

"Hello there, Minamoto-san." 

I looked up again to see Chimitsu's double standing there, dressed in a tight black dress with a neckline that plunged almost to her belly button. In the light of this room, it was also quite see-through, making my face heat up in a furious blush at what I saw. She closed the gap between us and lightly ran her fingertips down over my jaw, chin, and along the folds of my kimono. 

"You...what do you want with me?" I asked. 

"Haha...what _don't_ I want with you, dearie? Sexy man like you...rrrowr." 

"Cheap tart." 

"Hmph! So you'd much rather have my original. Fair enough, but I think MJ over there wants to have some fun with her first." 

I looked over to see Mad Jack unchaining Chimitsu, watching her eyes. She was frightened and I knew that in her current state, she was quite unpredictable. Whatever Mad Jack wanted with her, I doubted that he would get it. 

As soon as he has freed her wrists, she lashed out with an elbow, catching him in the jaw, but not stopping him entirely. Clearly, he had been prepared for an attack from her and quickly pinned her arms down under her wings. She screamed and thrashed wildly, her wings smacking him repeatedly, although not as hard as she may have intended seeing as how she could not see where he was clearly enough to aim the blows correctly. 

He struggled to keep his grip on her, squeezing her arms tightly, letting her wings and feet kick and swat at him. Chimitsu's double leaned on my shoulders from behind, watching the scene from between my updrawn arms. She giggled with delight, enjoying the scene immensely. 

Soon, it was more than I could bear to watch. 

_"LET HER GO!"_

Chimitsu was so startled that she stopped struggling and Mad Jack turned with her still pinned in his arms, looking at me from over a wing. He did not seem too ruffled, although the Elemental double behind me had taken a few steps back in surprise at my sudden outburst. My double laughed and grinned. 

"Let her go, huh? Why should I let her go?" he asked. 

"You heard me. Let her go. I need not explain why." 

"Ah, yes. You think I'm gonna let her go simply because you told me to." 

I glared at him, my eyes meeting his. 

"Sorry, but I just can't do that. I've got more important things I want to do first before I turn her over to Aku. He's been _so_ looking forward to meeting her." 

He laughed again and looked to Chimitsu, using one arm to keep her pinned and the other to grope her quite inappropriately. A moment later, her double blocked my view and I growled softly at her, not liking her presense any more than I did Mad Jack's. She grinned, a smile almost identical to the one Chimitsu typically wore, only much more twisted and warped. 

"Don't feel so bad for her. Her pain will only last a short while and then it'll be your turn." she said. 

"Not a chance in hell." 

"When we're through with you, you'll be wishing you were in hell." 

I snorted and she smirked, her hands sliding within the folds of my kimono to caress my chest. I gritted my teeth and did my best to ignore what her touch was doing to me, not wanting to let her get the satisfaction of seeing my true reaction. She watched my eyes and smiled, her hands moving up over my shoulders and neck, pushing up her chest until it looked as if her breasts were going to pop right out of her dress. 

Quickly, I looked away, feeling them press against my chest as I struggled to back myself away from her. She only closed the gap until I could no longer back away, her face so very close to my own. She smelled as good as Chimitsu did, but at this range, there was a different air about her. Whereas Chimitsu had the scent of a spring rain about her, this woman smelled almost...sickly. 

Instantly, I turned my head away from her, turned off by the scent, although I had not exactly wanted her in the first place. She backed up, seemingly insulted, her hands resting on my hips. 

"What's wrong, dear one?" she asked. 

"I am sorry, miss, but..." 

"Ekirei." 

"Eh?" 

"The name's Ekirei. Simply call me Eki for short. Your twin over there does." 

"Ah, yes, well, I am sorry, Ekirei-san, but I really want nothing to do with you." 

"And why is that?" 

"I have no time for women who are so forward that it is unladylike." 

"Pah...who gives a damn about whether or not it's unladylike? Just so that it feels good..." 

"For your information, it does not feel good. If you wish to keep yourself in one piece, I would suggest backing off and leaving me be." 

"Is that a threat?" 

"Take it as you will. It will be your one and only warning." 

"I think I'll take my chances in not heeding that warning." 

She leaned in again, dangerously close to my face, so close that I could feel her breath tickle my chin. She was going to try to kiss me again, only this time, I was not about to allow it. She moved in closer and I prepared to make my move, only to have the silence shattered by Chimitsu's screams. 

Ekirei backed away, turning to watch and I balanced myself again, staring in shock at the sight a few feet away from us. Mad Jack had thrown Chimitsu down on a bed that he had obviously conjured for such a purpose. I growled and pulled at my chains in a futile attempt to escape, watching in horror as he began to tear at her dress. 

Eki looked back at me as I rattled the chains in my attempts to get free, moving behind me and tugging hard, stopping me. Just like her original, she was surprisingly strong in contrast to her delicate appearance. I struggled to free myself, only to have her tighten her grip. 

Chimitsu's screams came louder and louder now as she struggled, trying to escape my double's grip. I shuddered as I felt the waves of pleasure he was feeling along our connection. Oh gods, he was enjoying this. He was enjoying what he was attempting to do to her. 

_#Do you enjoy what you feel, futago?#_[1] 

I tensed, hearing his voice radiate along our connection into my mind. 

_#Do you actually think I enjoy this?#_

_#No, but it's certainly fun to feel you squirming mentally. You don't want to enjoy this, but it's almost hard to ignore when you're feeling what I'm feeling, no?#_

_#Take it as you will. I certainly do not enjoy any of this, regardless of what your twisted, sick mind may think.#_

_#Famous last words. I want you to watch every last minute of this, samurai. I want you to watch me break her, knowing that I'm enjoying it because I know just how much this little angel means to you, even if you fail to realize it yourself.#_

_#What are you talking about?#_

Chimitsu struggled wildly beneath him as he kissed her savagely, her wings beating against his head and shoulders frantically, although he ignored it. In fact, from what I could feel along the connection, he enjoyed her struggling. Behind me, I could feel Ekirei pressing close, her hands upon my shoulders, working their way down my back. 

_#You know exactly what I'm talking about.#_

_#Chimitsu is a friend, for crying out loud!#_

_#Is she? Or is she something more to you?#_

_#Why on earth do you think that she means more to me than that?#_

He laughed and I jumped when I felt Eki give my backside a squeeze. I gave her a warning look, only to hear her laugh softly. I turned my attentions back to Mad Jack and Chimitsu, trying to think of how I could get out of this and stop him from raping Chimitsu. 

_#I can feel it. You wouldn't have come after her if you didn't feel something more than friendship for her.#_

_#I can tell you have not heard of something called honor, Mad Jack. I came after her because she had saved my life and my honor demanded that I not leave her behind.#_

_#Ah, yes, you and your honor. That may have been part of it, but I know that deep in your heart, there's more to it than mere honor.#_

_#That remains to be seen.#_

_#Oh, that it does. In the meantime, dear futago, enjoy the peepshow.#_

He quickly tore off his shirt and I struggled even harder, ignoring the pain that tore through my wrists as I pulled against the chains. Ekirei continued to hang all over me, pressing her hips against my back end, her hands tipping my head back, her long nails caressing my neck. 

Sweat poured down my face and neck as her hand lowered itself from my neck, slipping back into the folds of my kimono to caress my chest. She held me tight, her large chest pressing against my shoulderblades most uncomfortably. I could tell from her expression that she was enjoying this as much as my double was enjoying his torment of Chimitsu. 

"I'm going to enjoy making you uncomfortable, samurai." she whispered huskily in my ear. 

Her other hand went around to my front, sliding down over my obi and under the lower folds of my kimono. I struggled hard against her grip as her hand slid down inside the front of my fundoshi, finding its mark. She giggled nastily in my ear as I tried to twist free, continuing to grope me. 

Chimitsu's heart-shattering screams continued to grow louder and more panicked, which meant that we were running out of time. I had to think of something fast to get us out of here, but how? Ekirei seemed the type to become easily angered...yes, that would work. 

I began to relax, pretending to enjoy what Eki was doing to me. She chuckled softly and withdrew her hands, much to my relief, and moved around to my front, a seductive look on her face. Indeed, she looked quite satisfied with herself. 

"Oh? Stopping so soon?" I asked. 

She looked mildly surprised and I tried to temporarily ignore Chimitsu's continuing screams. Perhaps Mad Jack was right, perhaps she did mean more to me than I had originally thought, but we would not find out by simply hanging around here until Aku and his minions destroyed us. 

"Enjoying ourselves, are we?" 

"Perhaps." 

"Funny. I thought you'd put up more of a fight than that." 

"What can I say? You are quite....persuasive." 

She giggled and leaned closer to me again, her hands caressing my face lightly. Just a few inches more and she would be within range. I kept my expression blank, gazing into her eyes, letting her think whatever perverse thoughts she wanted to think about me. The emerald orbs were so clouded with lust that this would be almost too easy for me. 

"Am I now?" 

I allowed a slight smile to creep over my face as she leaned in, intending on trying to kiss me again. This time, I made no appearance in resisting, wanting her to think I was going to actually allow it. She wanted me as badly as Mad Jack wanted Chimitsu, only she was going to slowly break me down with seduction instead of making an attempt to rape me. 

As she leaned in for a kiss, I pulled my head back and slammed my forehead into her face with as much strength as I could summon. She yelped in pain as her head snapped back, losing her balance enough to take a few steps back. This startled Mad Jack away from Chimitsu, his aura clearly showing his fury with me. 

"Ekirei! Baka!" he snarled. 

Chimitsu's fist came up towards his face, catching him in the jaw, only to enrage him further. He hauled back and belted her hard, stunning her, before returning to what he had been trying to do. I had only precious seconds to react now with both of them enraged and desperate to finish the job before Aku came for us. 

Ekirei held her broken nose in one hand, her eyes blazing with furious hatred as she regained her balance. I had angered her, yes, but had I pushed her far enough to try and attack or kill me? If I had failed to push her that far, then there was no chance or time to drive her to that point. 

"Onore! I was going to let you feel a bit of final pleasure before sending you to hell, but now I think I'm just gonna kill you for that!" she roared. 

I tensed, readying myself, waiting for her to strike. She summoned my katana to her hands and it was only now that I realized that it had not been at my side when I had awakened. Damnit! How had I been so stupid? 

"What better way to kill you....than with your own katana..." she said dangerously, eyes glinting sadistically. 

"If it will make you feel better...." 

She roared in anger and gripped the weapon in both hands, bringing her arms back to strike. If I miscalculated this even one bit, I would either lose my life or the chance to break free. It was all a matter of very, very precise timing. 

As she swung down, I pulled back, bending my body out of the way and stretching the chain out as far as I could go with it. She had been aiming for my head, but at this angle, her strike would cleanly sever the chain just above my hands. I waited for it, the few seconds passing agonizingly slow as her blade connected, snapping the iron links and releasing me almost instantaneously, sending me falling back onto my rump. 

Her triumphant expression melted away into one of complete, utter shock and I wasted no time in taking advantage of it. I leapt to my feet and threw aside the broken chains, dashing forward to kick the enchanted blade out of her hands and into my own before knocking her to the ground with a kick to the knees. Normally, I would not attack a woman, but...she was hardly a lady and had attacked me first, which clearly ruled out any rules I had about fighting women. 

I quickly closed the gap between myself and where Mad Jack was seconds away from taking Chimitsu. He paused briefly and looked up at me with a distinct shock a split second before my fist connected with the side of his head near his temple, knocking him away from her onto the floor. Chimitsu sat up and I quickly took her hand, pulling her to her feet, ignoring her tattered clothing and tearful expression. 

"Jack...wait..." she said, briefly looking back. 

I hated to be rough with her after everything my double had been trying to do to her, but for us to hesitate at all meant giving them a chance to catch us again. I pulled her along, running as fast as I could, looking for a way out before Aku's minions found us. 

"Do not look back, Chimitsu-chan...just keep running!" I ordered. 

She quickly halted her tears and nodded, her hand gripping mine tightly as we ran along the twisting corridors. I could hear my double's roar of frustration down the corridor behind us, followed by heavy bootsteps running after. We had to hurry. He could easily follow us through the connection between himself and me and if he used teleportation, it would be a simple matter for him to catch us. 

We came to a crossroads with three exits to take besides the path we had just come from. I swallowed hard, not knowing which way to go. Behind us, Mad Jack was closing in on us, and any one of the three ahead of us could contain either the exit or more minions. Oh, dear goddess..... 

"Which way?" I asked. 

"I don't know...I was unconscious when they brought me here." 

I swore softly under my breath, the sweat beading on my brow. It was all a matter of chance, then. We would have to choose one of the three paths and pray that we took the right one. I began to take a step towards the center path, only to have Chimitsu pull me back, her hand holding mine tightly. 

"Wait..." she said. 

"If we wait, they will catch up to us!" 

"No, they won't." 

"What? How?" 

"I have just enough power left. Hang onto me and hang onto me tight." 

"But, Chimitsu-chan..." 

"Just do it! Please! We're running out of time!" 

The tears welled up in her eyes again and I could not help but listen to her pleas. I quickly pulled her into my arms as tightly as I dared, being careful of her ruffled wings. Just as Ekirei and Mad Jack began to come into view down the corridor, her energies encircled us and her teleport whisked us away as fast as they could. 

* * *

_[1]futago_= twin 


	16. Juugo: Shattered

Upon reappearing, I slowly released Chimitsu and looked around carefully. We were in another stone castle, but it did not belong to Duncan. It looked and felt much, much older. Much of the decor involved the color green in some form or another and through the windows, I could see mountains and clouds, even a few trees. 

Silver and crystal chandeliers filled the castle, elaborately ornate and all lit with candlelight. Along the wall, paintings and tapestries depicting sky scenery hung, and a few even depicted angels that looked a great deal like Chimitsu herself. Clearly, this was the home of the Wind Elemental. 

I quickly turned back towards her when I heard a soft thud beside me, finding her in tears on her knees on the floor. Instantly, I knelt down, trying to comfort her, only to repeatedly have my hands swatted away. She had hidden her face behind her hands again, but it seemed that this time, she did not want my comfort. 

"Chimitsu-chan..." I said softly, reaching out to gently pull her hands away from her face. 

_"NO!"_

She jerked her hands away and looked up with me half angrily, half in fear, the tears streaming down her pale cheeks. Her outburst startled me so much that I backed away a bit, not having to wonder why she was so upset, although I did have to wonder why she did not want my comfort. She no longer looked like the cheerful Chimitsu I was used to seeing. In fact, she looked quite broken. 

"Chimitsu-chan...why?" I asked. 

She wrapped her arms around herself and squeezed her eyes shut, her body shaking with violent sobs. Her wings drooped behind her, hanging almost limply. The crystalline tears poured down her cheeks and I quickly reached out, pulling her close, feeling the hot tears soak the front of my kimono. 

"It's my fault..." she whispered through her sobs. 

"Your fault? What is your fault?" 

She refused to answer, sobbing even harder there in my arms. 

"If you are talking about Mad Jack's little trap, that was not at all your fault. You did your best to defend the castle and tried to drive him away. My capture was my own fault, not yours." 

"No...not that..." 

"It's not that..." 

"Then what is it?" 

She looked up at me tearfully and quickly pulled herself away. 

"I...I'm sorry, Jack..." 

"For what?" 

"I...I don't know...for everything....all the trouble I've caused you...and probably will cause you." 

"Chimitsu-chan...you are not any trouble at all to me." 

She shook her head lightly as she rose, her wings folding against her back. 

"I'm sorry..." she whispered again before turning and fleeing. 

"Chimitsu!" 

She ignored me and kept running down the corridor until she had disappeared out of sight. I stood there, staring in the direction she had run off in, shocked and disturbed by her sudden change in demeanor. It hurt to see her suddenly refuse my comfort, refuse to tell me what was wrong, why she was so upset. 

I did not know whether to follow or to let her have some time alone. In her current emotional state, it was possible that she was going to try something foolish. After all, we were in the mountains and she had plenty of places from which she could throw herself. She had never told me anything about Elementals being unable to take their own lives, which left suicide open as a possible explanation and I could not allow that to happen. 

With panic rising in my chest, I quickly dashed after her, hoping I would find her before she tried anything. I skidded to a stop at the end of the corridor, looking to my left, then to my right. Which way had she gone? 

"Chimitsu! Chimitsu-chan!" I cried out. 

No answer. Damn! This was her castle and she would know it well. I was the outsider and did not know her in her domain well enough to be able to judge which way she may have gone. I would have to guess and hope I caught up to her in time. 

I looked at the floor, blinking when I spotted a single, solitary, white feather. So many white feathers these days...was she molting? I leaned down and picked it up, looking at it carefully. Clearly, the ones I had found in the grass at Duncan's castle had been torn from her wings in a fight, but I had found two before that, one on the pillow next to me, the other on the floor next to the chair that had been tipped over downstairs. 

Looking to my left, I spotted something white on the floor far down the corridor, almost out of sight. I hurried down, finding yet another feather. Perhaps a few had been torn loose while she struggled with Mad Jack, but there was something very unsettling about all these lost feathers. 

I picked that one up, too, and hurried down the corridor, looking for any other sign of her, pausing when I came to the end of the hall. The window was closed, which meant that she had not jumped, but she had certainly come down this corridor. I stayed very still, listening carefully before quietly retracing my steps. I had to have missed her somehow. Perhaps she had gone through one of these doors. 

Carefully, I tried each one, passing over the ones that were locked, peeking into the ones that were not. A library, an indoor garden, a few bedrooms, and back by the window I had stopped at, a winding staircase. Of course. This was a castle and it was bound to have more than one floor to it. 

I made my way up the stairs until I found myself in a tower bedroom decorated in white and green, but no sign of Chimitsu. Was this her bedroom or was it just a tower reserved for guests? I paused again, listening carefully. The room was large and there was another door on the other side of the bed. Ever so faintly, I could hear quiet sobs coming from the other side of the heavy door. 

I crossed the room and tried the door, finding it unlocked. I peeked inside, finding Chimitsu sitting alone in a marble tub that had been filled with thick bubbles. She was still sobbing quietly, but not as violently as she had been before. The dress she had been wearing had been tossed aside on a chair near her sandals and a towel. 

Slowly, I made my way over to her after closing the door behind myself, realizing that she had likely noticed me by now, but did not acknowledge me. I knelt behind her, disregarding the fact that she was in a bath, and began to massage her shoulders and wings. Neither of us said a word, although her sobs began to fade away until she was no longer crying. 

"What is wrong?" I asked softly. 

"It's all my fault...all my fault." 

"What is your fault?" 

"My sisters. I killed them." 

I blinked and sat back on my heels, startled. 

"What? How could you have killed them?" 

"I wasn't strong enough to help them. I could have fought, I could have saved them." 

"Chimitsu-chan, you could not possibly have fought against Aku. Remember what you told me when we first met? How you had barely escaped his attack?" 

"That only shows how weak I am, how useless I am to anyone, even you." 

"If you were useless, I would not be here right now. I would be dead several times over." 

"That's all I'm good for. I'm no fighter. I'm just a useless healer unable to defend herself or the ones she loves." 

"You are too a fighter. Did you forget the battle that ensued when we left the first village? How you defended me from a surprise attack? And what about the first time we encountered my dark twin. I was not of any use as a warrior with my life hanging in the balance. I am sure you fought well to escape with me then, too." 

She sighed heavily, considering my words, but I could tell that they had little effect. This could not be a result of Mad Jack's attack alone. Aku had to have done something to her before I had arrived to tear her apart emotionally like this. 

"No, but I'm of little use to anyone. I'm a curse." 

"A curse? How are you a curse?" 

"Everything and everyone I come into contact with crumbles to ash. You'd best do yourself a favor and get out of here...before I kill you, too." 

"You are not going to kill me, Chimitsu, so stop talking so foolishly. I do not know what they did to make you think you are so worthless, but I highly doubt that your sisters would want you to give up so easily. We came this far, why stop now?" 

"Because it's hopeless. For every step we take, they're one step ahead of us, waiting to delay us. We'll never get to our goal." 

"We will only fail to attain our goal if we lose sight of it." 

"But if I kill you..." 

"You will not kill me. It takes a lot to kill a samurai, Chimitsu-chan, I would have thought that you knew that with how you always tell me that you watched my family for centuries. The Minamoto clan is not an easy one to destroy, not by a long shot." 

"Leave me be...I'll only shatter your happiness, weigh you down and hold you back." 

That hurt, but I was not about to let her curse herself and sink into the depression that I had often felt whenever I thought about home. Since meeting her, she made me feel as if I really could reach my goal, and now she was so close to giving up on me. I could not believe that this was the same angelic woman who had always told me to push on, to not give up. 

They had shattered her, but I was going to do my best to pick up the pieces and bring her back into good cheer. 

"Chimitsu-chan, listen to me...please...." I said softly. 

No response. I sighed a little and wrapped my arms around her, resting my chin on her shoulder, not caring how wet my kimono sleeves got. 

"You are the best thing that has happened to me here. Nobody has given me such hope like you have. You make me feel like everything really _will_ turn out all right in the end, no matter what obstacles I may face. You do not seem like yourself when you are not so cheerful. When you are sad, it seems as if the world is going to crumble around us. When you smile, I feel like that little boy again, a child who had little cares in the world, who never knew Aku's treachery." 

She sighed a little and leaned her head back against my collarbone and I rested my chin on the top of her head, still holding her close. 

"We both have a lot of on our shoulders, but we both know that if we give up, then all our efforts will have been for nothing, right?" 

Slowly, she sat up, pulling away from me, turning to face me, still hidden by the bubbles for the most part. Her tears had finally stopped, her piercing emerald eyes clearing, but she still did not smile. I gazed back at her, waiting for her to finally speak. 

"I know. For so long, I hid my sorrow, tried to be happy and cheerful so I wouldn't burden you, but I don't think I can do it anymore. I'm not as strong as I may seem, Minamoto-kun." she said softly. 

"We all have our weaknesses, Chimitsu-chan, even me. You may be millions of years old, but you, too, have a level of humanity, just like everyone else." 

"Perhaps...but I should've known something was going on with my sisters when I had all those visions." 

"Visions?" 

"In my meditation. Usually I would spend a great deal of time in meditation, but since we have been on the run, I have not done so. A few days before my sisters' four pieces of the Star appeared to me, I had several visions of them dying. I didn't know what it meant until the Star came to me for my piece to make it whole. I see everything that has gone on in your life, but I couldn't see what was going on in mine." 

"But that does not make your sisters' deaths your fault. You could not have fought Aku off then any more than they could. If you had tried, then you would not be here now, would you?" 

"No, I suppose I wouldn't be here." 

"I do not think your sisters blame you at all for their deaths. You had no clue what was going on and even if you had known, you would not have been able to do anything. You did what you had to do to escape and find me and I am sure that they are proud of you for succeeding in finding help. Needing help does not make you weak or a failure. Knowing when to need help is a sign of wisdom, Chimitsu-chan." 

She rose up, kneeling, and reached out to cup my face in her soft hands. She looked so young, but her eyes showed an ancient depth to them that made her look centuries older. Still, she was beautiful and perhaps, Duncan was indeed right when he said that I was starting to fall for her. 

"You're the first person to ever say such a thing to me, itoshii[1] Minamoto-chan...the first ever." she said softly. 

I could hardly believe that anyone would ever fail to tell her how kind and beautiful and wise she was, especially when she had lived as long as she had. 

"It is the truth." 

"Arigatou." 

A small smile finally crossed her lips, making her seem more like herself again. I still had a hard time believing that anyone would not have seen such wisdom and beauty in her when it was so clear. Even a bit more unbelievable than that was what she did next. 

Slowly, she leaned in, quite similar to what Ekirei had done, only much less threatening. I swallowed hard, staring into the depths of the twin pools of emerald as she softly pressed her lips to mine. A part of me wanted to pull away, yet the rest of me was unable to do so as my eyelids slid closed, my heart pounding in my chest as she moved her lips against mine. 

Was this what a kiss was truly meant to be like? If it was, then I felt like drowning in the feeling of such unimaginable warmth. Her lips felt soft like rose petals and I felt more than a little disappointed when she slowly pulled away, her fingertips lightly tracing my jaw. 

By the gods that felt good.... 

A soft, tender smile lit up her face and she said not a word as she slowly stood and withdrew from the bath. I stared after her, completely speechless, watching as she instantly dried herself and teleported a silk robe of white and green on. She glanced back at me with a slightly wistful look on her face before she left the room, the water and bubbles in the tub disappearing as she walked out the door. 

I stood and hurried to follow her, finding her sitting on the edge of the bed, a few feathers littering the floor at her feet. She picked one up and looked at it almost sorrowfully before setting it aside. I watched her carefully before she looked up at me. 

"What do we do now?" I asked her. 

"I don't know. Our doubles are likely begging for Aku's forgiveness and then regrouping for another try. They're not about to give up on us, that much is certain. Aku's got too much at stake to let either of us roam about freely." 

"Then we must continue on. Tell me...why did you bring us here?" 

"It was the safest place I could think of for us to go off the top of my head. This is my castle. Aku can't get here, not without the intention of killing me or you. The moment he even thinks about it, he'll be magically cast out of the boundaries of my lands." 

"How close are we to the city we were in when we left to find your sister's castle?" 

"Hmm...not too far, but far enough that if we wish to get there quickly, we'll have to teleport and I don't have the strength to do another so soon. My reserves are completely drained now." 

"Then we will wait for a few days. If they cannot reach us here, we will be safe until you recover." 

"But by the time I fully regain my powers, they'll have caused plenty of havoc over the globe, just to draw us out. We can't do that." 

"What do you intend to do?" 

"I will rest one night. My power will be halved, but it will be enough to teleport with. From then on out, I'll go by foot with you until it regenerates fully." 

"And your wings?" 

"I'm afraid there's nothing I can do about that. At the rate the feathers are falling, I don't think I'll ever be able to take flight again." 

"You are losing your wings?" 

"I'm not sure. It seems that way. We won't be able to tell until after we reach the city." 

"Then what?" 

"I do without. There's nothing I can do if I lose my wings." 

I had a feeling that there was something she was not telling me, but dared not push the matter after all we had both been through today. There was something about the sad, distant look in her eyes that told me that she had something to mourn in the loss of those beautiful white wings. However, whatever it was, she did not seem willing to tell me. 

She curled up on her bed to sleep and I pulled up a chair, sitting down in it to keep an eye on her and the door. Tomorrow would come, yes, but what it would bring, I was not sure. As I began to drift off, I prayed that it would bring a healthy, cheerful Chimitsu again. 

* * *

_[1]itoshii_= darling 


	17. Juuroku: Dying Power

I did not sleep well that night, awakening periodically to make certain that Chimitsu was still there in her bed. Moonlight streamed in through the windows, illuminating the bed and making the Elemental sleeping within seem even more delicate. It almost looked as if she could disappear at any moment. 

She appeared to be sleeping soundly, although I doubted that she was sleeping as well as it looked. I kept my katana close at hand, even though she had said that Aku's forces could not reach us here. I was not about to take any chances, not with her so weak and emotionally drained. 

Occasionally, I would awaken to the sound of a soft sob, but stayed still, letting her be. All this time, she had been full of sorrow because of her loss and now it had finally caught up to her. She had always seemed delicate, but now she seemed downright frail, as if she would shatter under any more emotional weight. 

The first light of morning peeked through the windows, casting an eerie glow about the room, yet Chimitsu did not stir. I wondered what we would find when she awakened. Would she be stronger, would she be weaker, or would she remain the same? I watched tiredly as the light began to fill the room, waiting for the Elemental to stir. 

After a few agonizing moments, she finally did stir, rolling over onto her side to face me, stretching like a cat. She did look a bit more energized, but was still so very frail. The emerald eyes slowly opened, not as cloudy with emotion as they had been the previous day, but they were not as brilliantly piercing as they usually were. 

"Ohayou." I said softly. 

"Ohayou." 

"How do you feel this morning?" 

"Better, actually. I don't feel so weak and tired, but..." 

"But?" 

She sighed a little as she sat up, bringing her knees up into a hug. It was then that I noticed a number of large, white feathers littering the bedsheets. 

"I'm still losing feathers. My powers are still drained." 

"How can that be? You have rested for an entire night and part of an evening as well." 

"I think I've overdone it this time. I shouldn't have made that last teleport, but I had no choice. We couldn't have escaped that place on our own safely." 

"What does that mean, then?" 

"I'm not sure, but I don't think I'll be able to stop the feathers from falling now. Last night, I thought that if I rested, they'd stop falling, but now I know that there's nothing I can do about it." 

I set my katana aside and sat on the bed next to her, pulling her into a gentle hug. 

"I am sorry, Chimitsu-chan. I really am." 

"I know. It's not your fault. What's done is done, there's nothing we can do about it but accept what's happening." 

"Do you want to wait another day and see if the loss stops?" 

"It won't matter if I wait one day or several. My feathers are going to continue to fall until I've lost them all. We can't stop it." 

"There must be a way!" 

"I'm afraid there isn't. I know for a fact that it can't be stopped." 

"You have lost your feathers before?" 

"No, not all of them, but I've come close enough to a full drain to lose a few. This time I've gone past the point where I can drain myself and stop the feathers from falling. I'm sorry." 

I sighed a little and held her close, wondering what to do next. She still seemed so frail that I did not dare to push for the teleport into the city. I would wait for her to make the decision to go or not, knowing that another teleport could easily accelerate the loss even further. 

She leaned against me weakly, her body feeling almost weightless. Her eyes were no longer clouded, but there was absolutely no emotion left in them either. It was as if I was holding an empty shell and the spirit of my dear Wind Elemental had disappeared somewhere in Aku's fortress. 

There had been no change at all. She had not grown any stronger since the night before. Her feathers were still falling and it seemed that her power was dying with the loss somehow. Did this mean that this was how an Elemental died? 

"Chimitsu-chan..." I began. 

"Don't feel sorry for me, Minamoto-kun. I'm not dying. Weakening, maybe, but I'm far from dying. Takes a lot more than the loss of a few feathers to kill me." 

I watched as she pulled away from me and stood, straightening her white and green robes. A few more feathers fluttered to the ground and for a moment, with the first rays of sun shimmering through the window, she looked almost transparent. I quickly rose to my feet, intending on grabbing ahold of her before she vanished completely. 

Indeed, there was something she was not telling me, but she continued to avoid it. Once again, she shoved the pain she was feeling back into the depths of her heart, all for the sake of continuing our mutual quest. A part of me wished that she would just take the time to mourn before her sorrow killed her, but knew that she was not about to do that until everything was over. 

Just like myself, I realized. 

"We'd better go. We don't have much time to waste up here in hiding." she said. 

"Are you certain you are strong enough for this?" 

"I have enough power for a teleport, so don't worry. I wouldn't be making an attempt if I didn't have the power. To make a teleport without enough power could be deadly. You'd end up far off track, depending on how much power you were lacking, or even further away from your destination than intended, which would only waste the energy and time." 

"I see." 

Somehow, I felt that she was lying a bit, but not enough to the point of endangering us. With a sweep of her hand, her bed was remade and I furrowed my brow, not liking that. She used her magic too freely sometimes, especially when she did not have the power to spare to do such frivolous things, but I was not about to say anything to an Elemental that had seen more of history than I ever would. 

"Shall we?" she asked. 

I blinked and looked at her, seeing her extend a hand in my direction. For a few moments, she looked like her old self again, cheerful and even perhaps strong enough to recover the lost power. But was it just a mask or did she really feel cheerful again? 

Slowly, I took her hand, feeling her wrap her arms and wings around my back as the cool energies swept us away. I held onto her, feeling momentarily dizzy as we made the jump, shivering when we had reappeared. Her wings unfolded, then refolded against her back as she released me. 

"Are you all right?" I asked quietly. 

She looked at me, her entire body trembling for a few moments before her legs gave out beneath her, sending her tumbling to the pavement before I could catch her. Instantly, I knelt at her side, seeing her face pale, a cold sweat beading on her cheeks and brow. She could hardly hold herself up on her hands and knees, shaking all over with the effort. 

_Liar, I thought. You did not have enough strength to do that._

Quickly, I scooped her up and looked around, wondering what part of the city we had arrived in. With all these tall buildings and the alien language written in lights, it was hard to tell. Everything looked the same to me. 

"Go straight ahead." she said softly. 

I looked at her, seeing her weakly gesture towards a building directly in front of us. I did not argue with her and hurried inside, finding it to be a very opulent hotel of some kind, with people moving about in the lobby, including what appeared to be butlers. Ignoring the surroundings for the moment, I hurried over to the desk, gently setting Chimitsu down on her feet, letting her lean on me while she took care of the arrangements. 

I could not understant the language that was being spoken, but from the tone of the manager's voice, it seemed that he knew Chimitsu quite well. Soon, we had our keys and she guided me towards a set of gilded elevators. This was more than I was used to, but if this was where she had meant to go, then it would be safe for the moment. 

She leaned on me weakly as we stepped inside, the doors closing behind us. There was a uniformed man standing by the controls, standing almost like a soldier. I watched him carefully, wondering what he was there for. 

"What floor, sir?" he asked. 

"Uhm..." 

I looked to Chimitsu, who handed me the keys. 

"8th floor, very well sir." he said when I showed him the number on the key. 

Up we went and soon, I realized that the elevator was made entirely of glass but for the doors. We could see a great deal of the lobby and the surrounding floors as we went up and the people walking about. It was almost unsettling to watch, but still quite fascinating. 

Finally, we came to the floor we had been heading for, the doors sliding open as soon as they had stopped. I gently nudged Chimitsu through, pausing only to thank the operator before looking for directions to our room. I wanted to scold Chimitsu for using some of her magic to create the money necessary to stay here, but I had no money of my own and the only other alternative was to stay on the streets. 

That was not an option. It was much too dangerous to sleep out in the open, exposed to the bounty hunters and other minions. I simply could not do that when Chimitsu was in the condition she was. 

I led her down the plush, carpeted halls until we reached our room far from the elevator and main traffic of the building on this floor. I could see now why she chose this place to hide in. Not only was it right there when we had appeared, but it seemed quite safe and inconspicuous. 

I took the key and opened the door before leading her inside, momentarily ignoring the luxurious surroundings until I could get her to one of the two beds that were in the room. Immediately, she flopped onto the bed, feathers falling out in clumps when she landed. Over half of them had fallen out by now, her wing tips beginning to show now. 

"Are you all right?" I asked. 

"I'll be fine, just very tired." 

"You do not look so well, Chimitsu-chan." 

"I'll be fine, trust me. Go make sure that none of the feathers fell outside to make a trail up here after us. Please." 

I hesitated, not wanting to leave her alone, but not wanting to leave a possible trail for Mad Jack and Ekirei to follow. 

"I will be right back. Please...hang on, all right?" 

She nodded weakly and I reluctantly retreated from the room with a key in hand, heading back down the way we had come, looking for feathers. I found a few as I made my way back to the elevator and down to the lobby, relieved to find that she had only lost a few. She had to have been holding her power back long enough to get to our room so we would not be found. No wonder the feathers fell out in clumps when she sat down. 

I turned around and headed back, keeping an eye out for any sign of my double or Eki. I shuddered at the thought of the voluptuous Elemental double and the lust for me that was very clear in her eyes. I tucked the feathers into the sleeve of my kimono as I neared the door, my key in hand. I paused one last time, looking around carefully, then headed inside. 

Chimitsu was curled up in her bed now, feathers scattered around her. I set the few I had down near the table before heading over to sit next to her, reaching down to brush a few strands of hair out of her face. Her eyelids fluttered open and she smiled weakly at me. 

"Everything ok?" she asked. 

"Seems to be. I only found a handful of feathers so you must not have dropped very many until you got in here." 

"That's fine. Just didn't want to leave any abnormally large white feathers out in the open for our doubles to find and trace to this room. They'll probably find us in the city anyway, but at least without the feathers, it's one less clue they can follow." 

"You look exhausted. Perhaps I should go find some food." 

"No, don't leave. It's all right." 

"Chimitsu-chan, when is the last time you ate?" 

"Does that really matter?" 

"Yes. You may not starve to death as I would, but clearly, you not eating is not helping your fading energy reserves." 

She sighed a little, her wings fluttering slightly. 

"I'm really not very hungry and it doesn't affect my energies that much anyways. My powers only drain when I use them. I need rest, not food." 

"Very well. We rest then. But no using your magic to conjure up any more money or using your powers for anything so frivolous." 

"Without money, how will you get food?" 

I sighed a little. Usually I hunted, but when I was in the city, sometimes I was forced to steal if I could find nothing to hunt. It was not anything I enjoyed doing, but it was a lesser evil I was willing to commit for the sake of survival. 

"I will find a way." 

She sat up and lightly pressed her fingertips to my lips. A few feathers fell from her wings as she moved, but I was more focused on her eyes and face than her wings at the moment. I could see her contemplating what I had said, knowing that she had likely guessed what I had in mind. 

"Don't. Your leaving here will only leave you out in the open and you know that I can't fight right now. If we separate for too long, there's a chance that they'll take the opportunity to attack. If you need food, I can conjure just enough money and you can call down to room service for something." 

"But, Chimitsu-chan..." 

"No buts. It doesn't take much energy to do that. You'll need food and perhaps after I've rested, I'll feel up to eating something." 

I hesitated, contemplating this. 

"All right, but just this once. After that, no more until you have rested, eaten, and recovered." 

"Fair enough." 

With a gesture, a small purse appeared on the table. Even this simple gesture seemed to drain her and she sighed, leaning against my shoulder. Her wings hung limply from her back, feathers periodically falling to the sheets as I held her there, noting how light and weightless she seemed now. 

Was she really going to disappear when all her feathers and her wings had gone? 

Finally, she pulled herself away and curled back up on the bed, slowly drifting off. I debated using the money to find food, but I did not know how to use the telephone to call for this room service she had mentioned. Oh well. I would simply ask her tomorrow when she awoke and felt well enough to tell me how to do such a thing. 

I went around and turned off all the lights and made certain the door was closed and tightly locked before heading over to the unoccupied bed. Chimitsu appeared to be sound asleep, yet I still moved as quietly as possible, not wanting to disturb her. I set my katana down between the nightstand and the bed before removing my kimono, folding it up and setting it down on a nearby chair. 

I watched Chimitsu for a few moments before pulling back the blankets on my own bed and curling up. Instantly, I sank down into its warm plushness, almost melting at the feeling of such luxury. I sighed softly and snuggled under the blankets on the soft pillows, fighting sleep in order to relish every second of the softness, knowing that I would not get a chance to feel it again anytime soon. But, eventually my exhaustion won out and I drifted off surrounded in a warmth that was not unlike my mother's embrace that I remembered as a child. 

Okaasan..... 


	18. Juunana: Begging For Forgiveness

**Mad Jack**

I shifted uncomfortably in Lord Aku's audience chamber, watching Ekirei grovel on her knees before the shadow demon. She begged and pleaded with him for forgiveness, while he seemed very impatient with us. Twice now, we had failed to obtain either the Wind Elemental or my original, at least not for very long. 

Damn him! How'd I miss such cleverness? Baiting Ekirei to attack in order to set himself free like that...had I been so occupied with Chimitsu that I hadn't noticed his plotting? I mentally cursed myself and Ekirei over and over again in my head, half praying that Lord Aku would not see us destroyed or sent into the Pit of Hate for our failures. 

The plan had been so flawless, so perfect, that I couldn't see where it could have gone wrong. Even Ekirei's vicious temper shouldn't have screwed things up so royally for us like it did. We had the Wind Elemental. We had my original. We had them _both_ in the dungeon chamber, and yet they _still_ managed to escape! 

I growled softly and thought back to my battle with Chimitsu at the castle belonging to the Scotsman in the Highlands. It had been so unbelievably easy, just so easy, but I'd still failed in the end. Had she left a trail or cue for my original, or had it been just rotten luck? 

* * *

_ I teleported myself onto the bridge leading across the loch to the castle, looking through the rains at the tall, forboding structure. Hardly impressive, that rickety old thing. Yet, supposedly this was where the Wind Elemental had taken my original for safekeeping until he had recovered from his injuries. _

_ I shook my head as the rain poured down, soaking me from head to foot and rolling down the heavy leather jacket I wore. The castle was dark but for one single light down in the dining hall. No doubt that Chimitsu was awake and keeping guard there. All the Scots had retired hours ago and my original was still recovering high within the castle's depths. _

_ Grinning, I strode deliberately towards the castle, slowly drawing my katana as I approached. I'd be able to wound her, but I wouldn't be able to kill her, which was quite the pity. Oh well. I'd just make up for it with a little torment when I returned with her to Lord Aku's domain. _

_ I didn't even bother with the door, teleporting through it into the dark dining hall. A single candle stood on a table in front of Chimitsu, who seemed to be in a deep meditation. I'd have to be careful if I didn't want her to hear or otherwise sense my approach. _

_ Slowly, deliberately, I moved closer to her step by step, heart pounding in my chest, waiting for her to turn around and see me coming her way. Just a few steps more and I'd be able to run her through or slice off her wings, rendering her helpless. Or perhaps not helpless, but if I caught her wings, I'd be able to keep her grounded. _

_ The adrenaline rushed through my veins wildly as I raised my katana... _

_ She remained still.... _

_ I slashed down as quickly as I could.... _

_ *THUNK* _

_ Shit! Missed! I growled softly and viciously tore my blade from the back of the chair that it had sunk into. Looking up slowly, I found myself looking down the blade of Chimitsu's nodachi, her eyes cold and calculating. She didn't frighten me in the least, even with the heavy blade in my face. _

_ "I should've known you'd be bold enough to come here, Mad Jack." she said. _

_ "It was only a matter of time, dear angel. The least you could've done was stay still long enough to die." _

_ "Nice try. You know as well as I do that you can't kill me. Even if you could, fat chance that I'd stay still long enough for you to do me in." _

_ "Eh, it was worth a shot, but playtime's over. My master's getting impatient and I've got a delivery to make." _

_ "Ah, yes, my head and Minamoto-kun's on a platter. Oh, yes, I'm definitely going to allow that." _

_ She swung again with lightning speed, narrowly missing my head, slicing the candle's wick and dousing the flame instead. The room was instantly shrouded in darkness, save for the occasional bolt of lightning that streaked across the sky outside. I spun my katana around in my hand, circling the table just opposite of her, waiting for her to make her move. _

_ She stopped just behind the chair she had toppled and a slow grin crossed her face as her wings flared out. She wouldn't dare. Even she wouldn't be so stupid as to stir up a wind in here and not only wake everyone, but bring down the entire dining hall on both of our heads. _

_ Instead, she lightly flapped them, hovering back and disappearing in a teleport through the door. I sprang over the table and leapt in a teleport through the wood, rolling in the mud and rainy grass to come up in a parry against her downwards strike. So the clever bitch wanted to mud-wrestle? Fine with me. _

_ I lunged forward and swung at her side, rolling again in the grass before coming back up. I'd caught her dress, but didn't appear to catch her at all, damn. She swung around again, down towards my shoulder, forcing me onto my knees in a block with the force of the blow. If my blade had been any sort of ordinary katana, her blade would have easily shattered it. _

_ "Y'know, I think I like you in this position." she said. _

_ "How so?" _

_ "Grovelling on your knees like the worm that you are." _

_ I roared and pushed up, shoving her back before striking again. Quickly, she sidestepped, and her nodachi tore down my back from right to left down from my shoulder to my hip. I swung around, watching her nimbly dodge, stepping back and away from the castle. _

_ So that was her plan. Draw the fight away from the castle to keep from waking the others, including my original. Clever, but not clever enough. First I'd take her, then I'd come back for my original, and all before the army of Scots woke up and figured out what'd happened. _

_ I followed, ignoring the rain that poured down like little bullets, focusing entirely on the Wind Elemental. Over and over our blades met, toying with each other, striking and parrying endlessly. But I didn't care. I enjoyed the challenge of fighting another Elemental. After the last encounter with my original, I didn't think he was much of a challenge. _

_ I lashed out again, my blade finally finding its mark, raking its way across her left thigh. With a roar, she swung around, clipping my shoulder painfully in response. I snarled and took a few steps back before leaping at her again, our blades colliding in midair before I struck the ground, rolling away until I was able to get back onto my feet. _

_ "You'd do yourself well to get the hell away from here while you still can." she warned. _

_ "I don't think so. Y'see, if I leave here without you or my original, Lord Aku's gonna have my hide, so, I think I'm gonna have to pass on that warning." _

_ "Suit yourself, but you're gonna regret it." _

_ "I don't think so." _

_ We collided again and I walked away cleanly, watching her stumble a bit. I took the chance and slashed down, only to have a blast of green wind strike me in the face, momentarily blinding me. I growled again, spinning my blade around in my hand. Ok, if she wanted to play hardball with magic, then all right, we'll play. _

_ As she regained her footing, I held up my left hand and flung a handful of conjured shuriken at her, forcing her to dodge or be sliced to bits. Neither of us had broken a sweat yet and I doubted that we would for some time. Elementals did have the advantage of not tiring as easily as a frail mortal body would. _

_ "Impressive, I'll give you that." she said. _

_ "Well, you wanted to play hardball, so let's play." _

_ "I don't think you wanna play hardball with me, youngling." _

_ "Youngling? I'm insulted!" _

_ "Good." _

_ Again and again our blades met, sparks flying, only to be extinguished by the rain. She pushed me back across the slippery grass and mud towards the bridge, but what her intentions were aside from driving me away from the castle, I didn't know. I only wanted to toy with her before showing just how strong I truly was. _

_ Another round of shuriken littered the ground inches away from her feet before disappearing again. I drove her back towards the castle this way, watching the conjured metal projectiles sink into the ground as she hopped out of the way, silver sparkles being the only proof that I'd ever thrown anything as the shuriken disappeared. I could tell that she was getting frustrated, watching her brows furrow in concentration. _

_ An instant later, I found myself sliding back across the wet grass as a shimmering green orb struck my chest, disappearing. Time for a new attack. As she drew near, I flung out a thin, wire garrote, only to watch her slice it into pieces in rapid succession. _

_ "Interesting magic. You smell like an Elemental, but you fight with mortal weapons. Why is that?" she asked. _

_ "I'm the master of all mortal weapons, woman." _

_ "You haven't had enough years to master them all, so what kind of Elemental are you?" _

_ "The Elemental of War." _

_ "Elemental of War? That title belonged to my sister!" _

_ "Your sister was Metal and Defensive War. There's a difference." _

_ She struck down heavily and pushed me back a few feet, drawing so close that our faces were inches from each other. _

_ "So it would seem. You don't deserve the title." she said. _

_ "Heh. We'll see about that, now, won't we?" _

_ I pushed her back and slashed low, being rewarded with a shriek of pain. Perfect. I'd finally managed to land a blow on her. She limped away, one sandal coming free from her bare foot. Swinging around, she caught my shoulder again, twice now. _

_ I roared and lunged in, watching her block almost awkwardly with her wounded, bleeding foot, but she was still good enough to match me. With lightning speed, she pushed back and swung around, slicing deeply into my calf. I swung back with the hilt of my blade, catching her in the chin, spinning us apart and into the grass. _

_ "Not bad, not bad." she said, panting. _

_ "Hai, but this battle's far from over." _

_ "Indeed it is." _

_ In a flash, she was dashing towards me again, her blade shimmering with the rain that had soaked us both. I struck back with equal speed, knowing that she knew what my original and thusly myself were capable of. I left the magical attacks behind, favoring traditional weaponry. _

_ Chimitsu, on the other hand, delivered the occasional magical attack that I deflected or dodged, batting them aside with my katana. The occasional glance towards the castle told me that nobody had heard or seen us yet, but they could at any moment. I couldn't allow that. I had to end this battle and quickly, before it dragged out any longer. _

_ Still, Chimitsu was a worthy opponent and I would have to cheat a little if I wanted to get to what I want. Heh. She knew that I was clearly after my original, but the little fool didn't know that I was after her as well. She only thought that my earlier sneak attack had been merely to drive her away so I could get to my original. _

_ If I wanted to get rid of her long enough to get to Minamoto, I'd just have to bring her down first. _

_ Back, back, back, she pushed me towards the bridge again, only this time, I didn't resist. I let her back me in that direction before I lunged forward to tip her slightly off balance, just enough to knock her to the ground. She rolled out of the way as my katana bit into the dirt, being caught with her nodachi across my side. _

_ I swung viciously in her direction, catching her upper arm as she rolled away, getting to her feet. She was no longer limping, which meant that she had healed her foot and I wouldn't be able to use that to my advantage anymore. I circled her, being kept at bay by her five foot long blade until I saw an opening, lunging in low. _

_ She swung down heavily, narrowly missing my left arm, her nodachi digging solidly into the dirt. I rolled and sprang to my feet before she could pull it free, slashing along her wings. She screamed and a few bloodstained feathers fluttered to the ground. I'd missed taking the wing completely, but for the moment, she wouldn't be flying anywhere with that sort of injury. _

_ I spun my blade around in my hand, watching her stagger a bit until she regained her footing. She was panting now, slowly wearing down as she struggled to keep up in healing her own injuries. The blood continued to roll down her wing, staining the feathers a bit before the rain washed it away. _

_ Clearly, she had been expending her energies on healing my original, which was just perfect for me. If I could get her to expend her energies and drain herself down to nothing, I'd be able to take her down no problem. I had no healing energies of my own, nor did I need them. I could always lick my wounds after I'd dealt with the little Wind Elemental. _

_ "You're tiring." I said. _

_ "You only wish I was tiring." _

_ "Nope. I'm pretty sure you're tiring. You can't hold me off forever, Chimitsu." _

_ "Don't tell me that you don't think I have something left up my sleeve." _

_ "Maybe you do, maybe you don't, but I'd think you'd have done something by now, eh?" _

_ She shrugged and an instant later, several bolts of green energy tore into my body, catching my shoulder, leg, side and forearm, disappearing into green sparks as they struck. I saw that I wasn't the only one with shuriken in my arsenal and made note to keep my eye open the next time she and I fought, if we fought again at all. _

_ I backed up along the bridge, my boots thumping against the wood as Chimitsu followed, her steps silent under the sound of the rain. She swung down, her blade biting into the wood and I blocked her returning upward strike towards my head, pushing her blade back down. Open. She was wide open now. Perfect. _

_ Quickly as I could, I slammed the hilt of my blade into her chin, snapping her head back and spinning her around until she struck the ground. Her nodachi clattered on the wood and then disappeared into green sparkles, the rain soaking her hair and flowing dress. I leaned down, felt for a pulse. She was alive, of course, but that strike would keep her unconscious for some time. _

_ Now to leave the calling card. _

_ I lifted her up over my shoulder with my left arm as I crossed the bridge, taking a few steps back onto the grass. With a flick of the wrist, I sank a shuriken into the railing to hold a paper until my original awoke and found it. Until then, it wouldn't disappear. _

_ Shifting Chimitsu's weight in my arms, I smirked at the castle before disappearing in a teleport. _

* * *

I opened my eyes to watch Ekirei on her knees, pressing her head to the ground in a gesture of apology for her failure. Lord Aku had gone silent, watching her, contemplating our punishment. But it never came. 

"Very well. Seeing as how you had them both this last time, I shall let the two of you off. But do not fail me again or I shall quickly lose patience with you." 

In a swirling of shadow, he disappeared, leaving us standing there in shock at the thought of having narrowly escaped the Pit of Hate. Eki rose from her kneeling position, staring down into the abyss from which Lord Aku usually rose to greet his minions. How'd we get so fortunate? 

"Eki, what did you say to him?" I asked. 

"I haven't a clue. A lot of begging and pleading and ass kissing, but that usually doesn't work with him." 

"Hn...either he really believes we can pull this off or he's got a hot date with Fuki tonight." 

Eki made a face and sighed, her outfit shimmering into her usual thigh-high boots and tight top with the short skirt. I liked this outfit better than the gown she wore earlier. Not that I'd been complaining, but she could at least move better in this one than the gown. 

"Now what? He's only givin' us one last chance on this." 

"We go into the city to the Demon's Den." 

"What good is going there gonna do?" 

"I can't feel my original." 

She paused, her expression momentarily turning thoughtful. 

"I can't feel mine either. They must have gone to to her castle, which means we can't follow." 

"Then we wait for them in the city. They'll have to head back there if they want to retrace their steps north like they were before." 

"That could take awhile. Are you sure we've got the time?" 

"What do you mean?" 

"My original's weakening. I could feel her power drop an instant before they teleported away. It could be days before they leave her castle and return to the city." 

"Then we'll just have to wait that long." 

Without waiting for her to say another word, I made the teleport to the city, heading for the Demon's Den. 


	19. Juuhachi: Separation

Two days later, I awoke in the city in a hotel room high in a towering building. I rolled over and looked across the gap between the two beds to where Chimitsu lay, sound asleep. The city was still dark with dawn only an hour away, yet I could not sleep any longer. I felt restless, like something was going to happen today. 

For a short time after she had slept that first night and half a day, she looked as if she might actually recover in full. The feathers almost stopped falling from her wings and she even looked a bit cheerier. But once she had made the teleport into the city, she immediately weakened once more. 

We sought immediate shelter in this hotel so she could rest, but it looked almost futile now. Her wings were almost bare now, with only a few feathers left in them. The others lay in a pile by the desk, having rapidly fallen out after her teleport. 

I sat up and swung my legs over the edge of the bed, sitting there, watching her sleep. It was a miracle that she had slept at all, but I knew that once morning came, she would be awake and that we would likely see her lose the rest of her feathers today. I sighed inaudibly, glancing at my katana where it leaned against the nightstand, then over to where my kimono lay folded on a chair by the desk. 

She had been so strong, remarkably calm and clearheaded, even through the high-strung emotions I knew she had to be feeling. I had never once considered a teleport, much less to her castle. All I had been thinking about was getting her and myself out of there, away from Mad Jack, and all in one piece. 

For her to have taken swift control like that after being through so much, I could not begin to imagine how she could have done it. Anyone else, myself included, would have been a cauldron of panic and fear after coming so close to such a violation. Certainly not in any condition to think straight like that, even if she had panicked when we had rematerialized. 

The only thing I could think of to explain such a reaction was to think that perhaps this had not been the first time such a thing had happened to her. As unsettling as it was, it was possible that, in her long life, she had been raped before. Perhaps many times, enough that it still was terrifying when it happened, but also to where it was nothing new and she was able to recover faster than anyone else. 

It was not something I cared to think about. 

I glanced back to Chimitsu before standing and quietly padding over to her bed, gazing down at her sleeping form. Slowly, I lowered myself down to sit next to her, reaching up to gently brush a few strands of hair off her face, waiting for her to stir. But she never did. 

Another feather tumbled off her wing, fluttering into my lap. I picked it up and sighed softly, setting it aside. She curled up a bit in a ball before her eyes slowly opened, clouded with sleepiness and depression. She yawned a bit before rolling over, looking up at me. 

"Ohayou." I said. 

"Mornin'." 

"How do you feel?" 

"No different than yesterday. Lighter on the back. Gonna lose the wings today, I fear." 

"Seems that way. I am sorry, Chimitsu." 

"Don't be. Not your fault they're fallin' off." 

I furrowed my brow, watching her as she lay there. Indeed, she looked depressed, likely about the wings, but she seemed oddly indifferent considering what she had gone through just a few nights before. I would have guessed her to be more anxious, paranoid, especially considering Mad Jack looked exactly like me. 

Perhaps she had indeed been raped before. After all, she had lived far longer than I ever would and there were eras and places where women were not respected by their men in the least. Certainly it was logical to think she had seen such places and eras before and suffer a few rapes from overwhelming numbers or in younger days when she was not as experienced as I knew her to be. 

I sighed a bit, watching her sit up. There was a knock at the door and I headed over to answer it, finding a well-dressed man standing there with a tray. I looked at him curiously, wondering what he could be doing here so early in the morning. 

"Uhm...can I help you sir?" I asked. 

"Your breakfast." 

"Breakfast? I am sorry, you must have the wrong room." 

"This is room 894, is it not?" 

I blinked, looked at the number on the door, then back to him. 

"But we did not order any breakfast." 

"I received a call from a young lady asking that breakfast be brought up to this exact room at this exact time." 

Chimitsu hurried up to us, tying her robe, and took the tray. 

"Ah, yes, that'd be me." she said, handing me the tray while getting some money out of her purse to pay him. 

I blinked, watching her pay him quite handsomely before taking the tray, and retreating inside. The man disappeared down the hall and I watched him for a moment before closing the door behind myself, turning to Chimitsu. She had seated herself at the table, uncovering fruit, eggs, meat, and some sort of pastry on the tray. 

I walked over and sat down across from her, giving her an odd look. 

"What is all this?" I asked. 

"Breakfast. Eat up." 

"Are you going to eat anything? There only looks to be enough for one here." 

"It's yours. Elementals don't need to eat, remember?" 

"You need your strength." 

"I don't have to eat to gain my strength." 

"I am not going to eat a bite until you agree to eat something as well. You are not doing yourself any good by not eating." 

Her face fell and she sighed. She knew that I was not giving any room for arguement. 

"I promise I'll get something later in the day, ok?" 

"You sure?" 

"Yeah. I promise, Jack. I'll eat something later today after we leave." 

"All right. Make sure you keep that promise." 

"We Elementals don't make promises we don't intend on keeping." 

Satisfied, I ate my meal, watching her carefully. During the course of the meal, the rest of her feathers fell from her wings, littering the floor, although she did not seem to notice. I finished my meal and sat back, seeing a deep sadness in her eyes as she sat there, her white and green silk robe wrapped around her slim form. 

"Will you be all right?" I asked. 

"I'll be fine." 

"You seem so melancholy...you know I worry." 

"Not much I can do about the wings. I'll get over it, y'know?" 

"If you are sure." 

"I'm sure." 

I nodded and scooped up my kimono and katana, disappearing into the bathroom to change. I dressed carefully, tucking my katana into my obi once it had been tied and stepped back outside. Chimitsu, however was not in the chair where I had left her. Instead, she was kneeling on the ground, holding her broken, bald wings. 

I hurried over and knelt down next to her, pulling her close as she sobbed quietly. Something felt different about her, but I could not tell what. I could only watch as the wings and pile of feathers melted away into nothingness as if she had never had any to begin with. 

"Oh, Chimitsu-chan..." I whispered. 

She whimpered quietly and nuzzled my shoulder, sighing heavily. 

"It's done then. They're gone. I can't get 'em back." 

"It will be all right." 

"I hope you're right. Without them...I really am nothing." 

"Shh...you are not nothing. You are Chimitsu, the Elemental of Wind, and have been of more help to me than anyone here. Do not let yourself think otherwise, eh?" 

She sighed and looked up at me, a sad smile on her face. 

"I know. I just can't help it." 

She paused and then slowly rose, reaching a hand out to me. I took it and slowly stood, watching her expression. 

"Let's go into the city. We can't stay here too long or they'll find us. I'll get some food while we're out before we leave, ok?" 

"All right." 

She headed out the door and I followed, pausing only to slip into my zori. She led me down the hall to the stairs, hurrying down so fast that it was almost difficult for me to keep up. I followed as close as I could, hurrying down the stairs after her and out the back way into the city. 

I had traveled many places in this world known as Aku Earth, but I had to admit that the city was the one I disliked the most. Noisy, crowded, and prime hunting grounds for Aku's bounty hunters and anyone wanting to make a buck from taking my head. I felt more vulnerable in the city than I did anywhere else. 

Chimitsu's robes changed shortly before we reached the ground floor, turning into a green blouse and white skirt as we dashed out the door. I was mildly surprised, but it did suit her quite well. Down the alley we went, disappearing into the heart of the city where all the restaurants and taverns were. 

People were all about as usual, but there was a hostile air in the city that had me uneasy. I had my left hand on my katana, ready to draw it if necessary, although I hoped that I would not need to do so in such close quarters. It would be all too easy to miss and strike someone else in a crowd like this, if I could even draw my blade at all. 

I stayed as close to Chimitsu as I could get with people on every side of me, not liking this one bit. I had been in the city several times before and it never seemed so crowded and noisy before. People always moved out of your way on the streets, but now, it seemed that they were not about to move. 

Chimitsu made her way over to an open spot in the crowd on the sidewalk near a building that had yet to open this morning, leaning against the wall to catch her breath. I followed, staying close to her, keeping alert, but also worried about her health. Something was very wrong with her, but she was apparently not about to tell me what. 

"Are you all right?" I asked. 

"I think so. Just so crowded out there. I've never seen this city like this. Something's got 'em all stirred up into a frenzy today." 

"So it would seem. It feels so hostile here, not like last night when we arrived. It was quiet then." 

"Agreed." 

"I think we are in danger here, Chimitsu-chan. I have a bad feeling about these crowds. Both of our doubles have something of a connection to us, or it would seem, and I think they may have followed those connections to our location here." 

"You mean they've stirred up the crowds into a feeding frenzy to look for us?" 

"Something like that, yes." 

"Damn. We'll have to cut this trip short, then, and get the hell out of here. Do me a favor, Minamoto-kun?" 

"Yes?" 

"Try not to get hurt." 

"Eh? Why?" 

"I don't think I can heal you right now. My powers haven't regenerated enough for that." 

I furrowed my brow, finding that odd. She had rested for at least a night, if not longer, so why was it that her powers had failed to restore enough for a healing if I got hurt? I decided to not argue as she stood, stretching a bit as if she was testing out some sort of new power. 

"Look! There they are!" 

Chimitsu looked over and I turned in surprise, hearing a voice call out. A small crowd had gathered around us, almost boxing us in. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I backed up in front of Chimitsu defensively, debating on whether or not I should draw my katana on a group of civilians or try to make a break for it. 

"You sure that's them?" another asked. 

"Oh hell yeah. No mistaking Samurai Jack and the Wind Elemental. She ain't got her wings, but it's still her." 

"Lord Aku's gonna pay us handsomely for those two...get them!" 

I swallowed hard as they closed in around us, moving uncomfortably close to us. We would have to make a break for it and get out of there before they swallowed us up and kept us from moving at all. I pulled my katana from my obi with my left hand, grabbing one of Chimitsu's hands with the other, holding tightly to my wrist. 

"Nigero!"[1] I cried, slamming the hilt of my katana into the chin of the nearest pedestrian, trying to force them back in order to run. 

I pulled Chimitsu along, shoving people aside, making no time to be polite when our lives were at stake. I caught sight of Chimitsu slamming the heel of her palm into the chin of a rather large man that had tried to tear her away from me, also odd, although I did not have to contemplate it for long. It would have been so easy for her to bring up a wind to cut a path for us as she had done before, but for whatever reason, she had not done so. 

We finally broke free from the crowd and I pulled her along, hurrying down the street as fast as we could go. They were not far behind us, the ones who could run after us. More and more people joined the group and I began to wonder if the whole city was after us. 

Sooner or later, we would have to lose them somehow. We could not keep running forever, even if we did make it out of the city and into the desert. We would have to rest sometime soon, but it did not seem like this crowd was about to let us do so. I would have to do something to slow them down and quickly when Chimitsu looked so worn out and sweaty. 

I took a turn down an alleyway and pushed her ahead for a few seconds, turning to quickly slice a support holding some crates up alongside a wall away, creating a pile of debris. They would have to turn around or take the time to climb over if they wanted to have a chance to catch us. Upon sheathing the blade again, I took Chimitsu's hand once more and took off running out the other side of the alley, panting, looking around cautiously. 

To either side, a crowd was coming toward us, full of angry townspeople out for blood to make a quick buck. I groaned inwardly, looking for another escape route. Traffic ahead of us, mobs to the left, right, and rear, and nothing to climb onto to go upwards on. I swore softly and tucked my katana back into my obi, pulling Chimitsu close so I would be able to defend her better. 

"Jack..." she said quietly as the mobs closed in. 

"Stay close to me, Chimitsu-chan. It looks as if we are going to have to fight our way out of this one. Whatever happens, do not slip out of my reach, understand?" 

"I'll try." 

"Do not just try. Just do it." 

She pressed closer to me, looking genuinely frightened, which was more than a little odd for an Elemental. I chose to ignore it for the moment, preparing to draw my katana and force a few of them back, my muscles tensing with the anticipation. Just a few more seconds.... 

The first wave closed in and my right hand quickly went in the direction of my katana. Behind me, I could hear Chimitsu struggling, even landing a few blows as they encircled us. Before I could draw my blade and do anything to force them away, they pounced on us, grabbing my arms and legs. 

My katana was torn from my hand and I roared in frustration, swearing profusely in Japanese as I fought, trying to break free. Yet, for every one that I threw off, three more pounced on me, pulling me back away from the direction Chimitsu had been in. When I finally did catch a glimpse of her, it seemed that she was having the exact same difficulties I was. 

On occasion, her elbow or the heel of her palm would connect with a face or chin, but she, too, was pulled back away from me. Damn! They were going to try to separate us and it looked like they were going to succeed. In one last desperate attempt, I pushed against my captors, lunging forward with a hand outstretched towards Chimitsu's. For a brief second, our fingertips brushed, and then I was swept away back into the mob, being carried away dizzily. 

_"Chimitsu!"_

The sea of hands and arms carried me away into the depths of the city, finally depositing me unceremoniously to the pavement. I groaned and caught my breath, relieved to have finally stopped moving, although I was not out of the woods just yet. Just a few inches from my face were a pair of black, steel tipped boots that were more than a bit familiar. Looking up, I came face to face with my double. 

A momentary wave of ice cold panic raced through my chest as my eyes locked with his. Memories of our last encounter raced through my mind, seeing him tear at Chimitsu's gown, hearing her scream for help. I had been so helpless then and if he had come back for her, while she was separated from me, then I was helpless to protect her now. 

"Good morning, Minamoto." he said a second before his fist connected with my jaw. 

My head spun dizzily from the blow and then...darkness. 

* * *

_[1]"Nigero!"_= "RUN!" 


	20. Juukyuu: Torment

Happy Holidays everyone! Sorry I'm late with this chapter...been quite busy, but that's ok. Hee! Here's the latest update and possibly the last update for this year at least. :P Not sure if I'll make this upcoming one on time or not, but if I don't, it shouldn't be too much past Friday. Enjoy the chapter, major thank you to those of you who've reviewed so far and major thanks to sss979 for becoming my editor and Happy Holidays! - TN 

* * *

Slowly, I opened my eyes and groaned, my head throbbing. Not again. This was getting so very old and predictable. 

Looking up, I saw that I was in another dungeon within Aku's fortress, once again chained with my arms over my head. I must have been there for some time, for my back and shoulders and wrists ached with the lack of movement. A few strands of hair had fallen out of my topknot, dangling down alongside my cheek past my chin to my throat. 

I closed my eyes to shut out the eerie lights and to force down the start of a painful headache, opening them to see Ekirei standing face to face with me. She wore her biker outfit this time, obviously not daring to make another attempt to seduce me. Like her original, she could heal, her nose looking quite whole since the last time we had met. 

"Hello, Jack." she said softly, her eyes deceivingly kind. 

"Ekirei." 

"Indeed. I would like to welcome you to Hell. Once Chimitsu gets here, you're both going to suffer." 

"I thought you promised that last time." 

"No, that was fun. This time we're skipping the fun and cutting right to the suffering." 

"Hmm. I am pretty sure that what went on last time we met was suffering." 

She laughed and walked around to my back, where I could feel her eyes roaming up and down, apparently trying to see through my kimono with her eyes. I sighed a little and shifted my weight to ease the pressure on my wrists and shoulders with little relief. Eki chose to take advantage of my discomfort and I felt her hands massaging my shoulders, but not roughly. 

"Mm...you're too tense, Minamoto-chan. You need to relax." she said quietly. 

"Do not call me that. You do not deserve to say that to me." 

She chuckled and tipped my head back by my chin from behind, her nails lightly running along my neck near my jugular. 

"I'll call you what I wish, dear one." 

"What is it that you want with me this time? More seduction, more playtime?" 

She paused and released my head, walking around in front of me, running the backs of her hands down my face. I pulled back a little, but the ache in my shoulders and the shorter chain holding my wrists would not allow me to go very far. Eki leaned in closer to me, almost in another attempt to kiss me, before backing away. 

"At one time, perhaps I'd been attracted to you. I would have loved to see your purity destroyed, but you no longer interest me." she said. 

"I find that difficult to believe." 

"Think what you want, Minamoto-chan. I'd rather see you suffer now than see you in my bed. Besides...I've got someone else to play with." 

She took a few steps back towards a shadowy spot between some pillars, revealing my double leaning against one nonchalantly. If she had not gone in his direction, I would not have known he was even there. He straightened at her approach, giving me a satisfied look as she leaned on his shoulder, one hand reaching up to seductively massage his chest. 

I simply hung there, not at all surprised or impressed. She was unable to have me, so she was going to have the next best thing in Mad Jack. Quite frankly, they deserved each other. They had the same taste in fun and clothing and similar personalities, after all. 

He gave me a wicked grin before turning to tip Eki's chin up and give her a kiss. I would have been disgusted at the display of tongue exchange, but with the two of them, it hardly surprised me. I shifted my weight again and sighed, deciding to ignore them for the moment, rather than be uncomfortable. 

_#Not interested in watching, futago?#_

I looked back at the pair still exchanging tongue, narrowing my eyes at the look Mad Jack gave me from the corner of his eyes. Eki failed to notice, her eyes closed in enjoyment. 

_#Not particularly. Tell me, are you attempting to choke her over there?#_

His response was a loud telepathic laugh. 

_#You really are just a naive little warrior, aren't you? I'm hardly choking her.#_

_#Could have fooled me. It looks as if you will kill her if you stick your tongue any further down her throat.#_

_#Oh, but she likes it like that. I bet your little angel tastes just like her, too.#_

_#Leave Chimitsu-chan out of this.#_

_#I think not. I'd just as soon be standing here kissing HER than kissing this little bitch.#_

_#Very eloquent. I am certain that if Eki was able to hear this, she would take that as a compliment.#_

He barked out another loud, telepathic laugh, much to my irritation. 

_#Do you really think I give a damn what she thinks? She's nothing to me, futago, just a toy, like everything else.#_

Panic rose in my chest at his words, realizing that I had woken up here alone, without any sign of Chimitsu. I had not seen her since we had been separated by the crowd in the city and she could very well be anywhere by now. She could even have been in another part of this very dungeon, at the mercy of my double for whatever sick, twisted pleasures he had in mind for her. 

_#Do us all a favor, futago, and take some notes.#_

_#Take notes? On what? How to be as rude and disgusting as possible?#_

_#Noooo...on how to please a woman. Chicks love it when you give them tongue. Don't you know anything?#_

_#I do know how to respect and treat a lady.#_

_#Lady? Do you see any ladies in here?#_

_#Actually, no, but when Chimitsu arrives, there will be one.#_

He snorted telepathically, still kissing Ekirei. I began to wonder when the two of them were going to come up for air and stop making my stomach turn. 

_#I'll bet your little angel doesn't know any more than you do. Tell me, you haven't kissed her yet, hm?#_

_#That is none of your business.#_

There was a moment of silence. 

_#Well well. Perhaps you're not so naive after all. But you've still got a long way to go to match me.#_

_#I would rather not.#_

_#Suit yourself, but you'll regret not taking notes from this.#_

He finally broke away from Eki, who gave me a sly grin as she reached up to caress his jaw. I ignored the exchange as she walked over to me, running her hands along my arms, deliberately feeling the muscle. Mad Jack leaned back against the pillar again, disappearing back into the shadows to watch us. 

"Did you enjoy that little show, samurai?" she asked. 

"I cannot say that I am too impressed with either of you. That sort of disgusting behavior is to be expected from those who do not have a shred of honor within their souls." 

"Oh, but that's the fun of it! Tell me, Minamoto-chan...you wish it was you and dear little Chimitsu there kissing like that, don't you?" 

I stared at her for a moment, considering this. Did I want to kiss Chimitsu like that? At that very moment, staring down her double, gazing at a face that was identical to hers, I could not be entirely certain. 

The kiss that she and MJ had shared, I could hardly stand to watch. They cared nothing for each other, so how could a kiss like that show any sort of emotion besides lust? Chimitsu was hardly like that. She was kind, gentle, like the kiss she had given me in her castle. 

The effect of that gentle kiss had not been lost on me in the least. Of course I had enjoyed it, but whether or not I wanted to kiss her so lustfully as Mad Jack had kissed Ekirei remained to be seen. Images of Eki and my twin's exchange from just seconds before resurfaced in my mind as I continued to gaze into Eki's eyes, invoking emotions within my chest that I had never felt before. 

Slowly, the images of Ekirei and my double faded, being replaced with myself and Chimitsu as I tried to imagine what it would be like to kiss her like that. Would she want to be kissed like that? Could a kiss like that ever feel as good as the gentle kiss she had given me at her castle? 

Instantly, the images dissipated when I realized what I had been thinking. Stupid! How could I have been thinking of such things at a time like this! I could not waste my time thinking of such frivolous things when I was hanging by my wrists in Aku's dungeons. 

Eki smirked and lightly chucked me under the chin, her eyes showing that she already knew the answer to her previous question, or at least thought she did. 

"Ahh, so I see. You're in love with my original, how quaint. Deny it all you want, but I can tell that you wish it had been you and Chimitsu kissing a few moments ago instead of your double and myself. It's written all over your eyes." 

"Think what you will." 

"Oh, believe me, I will. Actually, I'm going to enjoy seeing your reaction when she finally gets here." 

"And why is that?" 

She paused and studied me carefully with her eyes, her expression oddly thoughtful. 

"My original didn't tell you what'd happen if she lost her wings entirely, did she?" 

"What does her wings have to do with this?" 

"Everything, samurai. Do you have any idea what'll happen to her once she arrives?" 

"What?" 

"She's going to die." 

"You cannot possibly be serious. Neither you nor Mad Jack can lay a hand on her to kill her without destroying yourselves." 

"Not while she's in Elemental form, that much is correct. But when she's human, she's as much up for grabs as you are." 

"Human? Elementals cannot become human." 

She laughed shrilly and I caught sight of a smirk on my double's face. They knew something that I did not and I did not much care for where this was heading. 

"She didn't tell you." 

"What did she fail to tell me?" 

"If she loses her wings completely, she'll lose her Elemental powers and become human. Your little angel has fallen and she'll never be anything more than a weak mortal now." 

I gasped and took a short step back in shock. Was that why she looked so forlorn at the hotel when her wings disappeared? By the gods...that would certainly explain a great deal. If she lost her power, if she became human, she could not heal me or teleport or do anything to be of much help to me. 

I could not help but wonder why indeed it was that she had failed to tell me about this. Was it because she had not wanted to worry me or was she trying to deny her fate to herself? I realized that it may have been a little of both and perhaps even a feeling of failure. Without her power, she could do nothing to face Aku, even with her great martial skill. 

Oh gods...that would explain why she was so weak as of late. Her power was fading away to nothing and when she was usually so much stronger than a normal human, she was not used to not having such strength. I began to doubt that she would be able to lift her nodachi to fight or do little else to fight. 

No wonder she had failed to summon a wind when the crowd in the city had surrounded us. She had no power in which to do so with. She had to rely on what little fighting skill she had left in her and without her Elemental strength, she could do little against so many. Even I had difficulty, but it seemed that was why she was able to do less than I had been able to do against the crowd. 

I watched Ekirei walk back over to my double, one arm snaking around his waist. Both looked quite satisfied in the revelation and having made me feel a fear I had not felt in quite some time. She was no longer an Elemental and that meant they could kill her now easily without being bound by Elemental Law and that honor might go directly to Aku himself. 

Aku... 

Oh hell! I recalled how battered her wings had looked when we had first met, how it looked like a giant claw had tried to rip them off. She had been fleeing from Aku and that had been the most serious of her injuries. So that was what he had been attempting to do! 

He could not kill her directly when she was an Elemental, so he had tried to tear her wings off and turn her human! 

I hung my head in sorrow and frustration, knowing that we were both doomed now. I was caught, had been disarmed, and now Chimitsu was human. She had lost her power and as far as I knew, could do little to fight. Did it also mean that we had lost our chance to use the Star of the Elements? 

"I see you've finally figured it out, Minamoto-chan." she said. 

"Heartless bitch...that was your plan all along. You two could not touch her so you drove her to lose her wings and then set a trap to bring her to you and her death." 

"Can't take all the credit...it was actually Lord Aku's plan, but we had a big hand in it." 

"Then it is finished. Do what you will with me." 

I had failed. All this time, all this fighting, and ultimately, I had still failed. So many people let down by this, so much honor lost and for what? If I had been within reach of my katana or free enough to find another way, I would have instantly committed seppuku. 

But even death was denied me so that all I could do was face my dishonor. 

"Enjoy your final moments, futago." Mad Jack said quietly as they left. 

I could not even lift my head to watch them go, feeling so utterly defeated and lost. The room began to darken and I could see shadows moving in, snaking their way up my legs. I closed my eyes and did not fight, letting them encircle my body completely. 

Slowly, I could feel them seep into my mind, seeking out the darkest corners until they had found them, feeding off of them. I did not want the images to come, but I did not fight them either, knowing that I deserved what I was beginning to see. Shameful tears began to fall as the reality of my defeat set in and I could do nothing else. 

Memories flooded back of that fateful day when my youthful innocence had been lost. Aku's shadow darkened my vision and the fear I had felt as a young child rose in my chest. My father's palace began to crumble down around me, flames rising up hotly to consume everything beautiful, turning it to ash. 

I rolled out of the way as a heavy, flaming pillar crashed down, shattering on the floor, sending sparks up all around. I could see my parents huddled over by the broken stand that had once held my father's katana, which was missing. A shadowy hand swept down towards them and I sprang forward over the broken pillar without hesitation. 

Too late.... 

When I had cleared the flames, I saw that they were gone and that the palace was quickly crumbling. I looked around frantically for a way out, knowing that if I stayed, I would be killed. I took my chances with a flimsy outer wall, dashing forward and throwing myself through the thin rice paper and wood. 

I rolled down the roof and lashed out with my hand to catch its edge, only to find that it had disappeared with the rest of the palace. My heart pounded wildly in my chest as I realized that I was going to fall to my death. The flaming orange sky shifted until it had taken on an appearance similar to the prison mines like where I had found my father. 

The landing jolted me hard and I crumpled painfully to the ground, but had thankfully not broken my legs. What sort of hellish world had I ended up in this time? I slowly rose and brushed myself off, looking around. 

Instantly, I recognized this place, seeing the gigantic mill where they had kept my father. But it was silent now, a single figure lying still on the walking platform. I quietly approached and knelt down, rolling them onto their back to see who it was and whether or not they were alive. 

Otousan! 

I took a step back at seeing his still form, my heart pounding in my ears. Impossible! If I was still in the future, then he was long dead as Chimitsu had told me. In horror, I watched as his body disintegrated into dust that blew away on the wind. By the gods... 

I heard a rumbling behind me and turned to see large pillars and mills and chunks of the walls and ceiling start to fall. It felt like an earthquake and I was not about to stay and let myself be crushed. Again I took off running, looking for a way out, but the entrance that I remembered had been blocked off by a cave in. 

I turned around and headed for a pit, intending on throwing myself into it. I had a chance of not surviving, but I would rather have taken my own life than allowed myself to be killed. With a great leap, I sprang forward, intending on either catching the other side or falling to my death, whichever came first. I fell for some time before I finally caught ahold of something solid and stonily cold. 

I hung there for a few moments before pulling myself up, realizing that the quake had stopped and I would not meet my end today. When I had caught my breath and looked up, I received a shock to find that this was no longer the slave mines, but somewhere deep inside Aku's castle fortress. 

It seemed quiet enough, but that did not mean that Aku or one of his minions were not lurking about nearby. I stayed to the more silent corridors, bypassing any that seemed to have signs of life in them. There was something wrong about the atmosphere here. It almost seemed eerie, like a pall of death had settled about. 

There was a rustling behind me and I whirled around to see a young maid dash right past me, carrying a load of white linens. 

"Sumimasen..."[1] I said. 

She ignored me, hurrying on her way. I furrowed my brow and turned around as another came my way. Again, my inquiries were ignored and she passed me quickly. Odd. Had they not seen me or were they simply being rude? 

I hurried to follow them, heading deep within the fortress to a less opulently decorated section, which turned out to be the maid's quarters. What on earth was I doing here? I watched quietly through the gap in the sliding doors, watching them bustle about a bed. Had somebody died? 

Finally, they moved aside for a brief moment and I caught a glimpse of the person lying pale and still on the bed. 

Okaasan! 

Oh gods! Why this? This was not the future, but the past, yet I had never seen this before. According to Chimitsu, by the time my parents had died, I had long-since been cast into the future by Aku. This had to be some sort of trickery. 

I closed my eyes and took a few steps back, hoping that I would regain my senses and find myself back in the dungeon. But when I opened them, I was greeted with nothing but darkness. What sort of hell was this? 

I turned around and immediately took a step back, seeing the ghostly forms of my parents looking at me with disapproval. This did not make any sense. My parents were dead. Had I somehow died as well? Did those shadows grant me peace at last? 

Somehow, I doubted that Aku would let me go quite that easily. 

"Your fault..." they said. 

I took a step back, not at all liking this. 

"What? What is my fault?" 

"It is all your fault. Because of you, we suffered. Because of you, we wasted our lives." 

"No! it was because of Aku! I did my best to send him back to the pits that he came from!" 

"It was not enough! Because of your failure, we were imprisoned and became slaves. Because of you, our people will be forever lost to history." 

"No..." 

"Because of you...we died..." 

I shook my head in disbelief at what I was hearing, looking to my mother for some sort of reassurance. But she could not even raise her head to look at me, keeping her eyes away from me. I closed my eyes and backed up away from them, not wanting to believe that this was what my parents had been thinking of when they had perished. 

Opening my eyes, I found that they had disappeared, just like before. My pulse raced and my head spun dizzily as I attempted to figure out what was going on here. None of this made sense or even felt right. Even in failure, it was hard to believe that either of them would be so painfully harsh with me. 

A cold chill ran down my spine and I whirled around to see a man standing there, dressed in a heavy black formal kimono embroidered in greys and silvers with a crest similar to my father's all over, including one large one in white on the back when he turned towards me. It was not my father, but he looked oddly familiar. I did not like the aura I was feeling from him. It felt so cold, so empty, like death. 

Instead of a traditional topknot, a long, heavy braid trailed down his back almost to the floor, partially covering the large crest on the back of his kimono. His eyes were a smoldering gray, cold and emotionless. In his hands was my father's missing katana, the one that should have been in my hands. 

I tensed, feeling a cold fear rising in my chest. I did not recognize him, but that aura felt so familiar. He said nothing, his young face wearing an expression of cold, ruthless hatred. He could not have been much older than myself, perhaps by a few years, but no more. 

In an instant, he struck, springing forward in my direction and slashing with the katana in one single strike like a flash of lightning. I had not even seen the blade coming or felt it strike me until after I felt the burning pain in my chest, looking down to see the blood soaking the front of my kimono. I looked back in his direction as I heard the soft snap of the katana returning to its sheath, seeing cold revenge in his eyes. Only one being had ever shown me such ancient hatred and lust for revenge before, but that was impossible for that creature and this man to be one and the same. 

Aku.... 

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_[1]sumimasen_= excuse me 


	21. Nijuu: Wings

Happy New Year! Sorry for the huge break in updating...holidays got too overwhelming for me to remember to update(*sweatdrop*). With ff.net willing, heh, I should have more up soon and if I don't, I apologize. Been doing some editing to the chapters to follow and I still have a handful left to write before it's all done. Be patient, heh, I'm not about to let this fic be forgotten 'till it's done. :) For now, enjoy the touching reunion and thankie thankie thankie to those who have reviewed and sss979 for being my editor and catching what I missed! And a thank you to Jess for the gorgeous pic of the Great Elemental from Star of the Elements and for offering to do fanart...'tis much appreciated. :) Until next time... - TN 

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Slowly, I opened my eyes, finding myself back in the dungeon. I was almost relieved, except that I knew that I was still chained and that Aku could come for me at any moment. My body ached all over and my soul was not much better in terms of how much my heart ached for my lost family and people. 

I lowered my head, knowing that there was nothing to do now but hang here and wait for the end to come. 

Suddenly, my ears caught the sound of high heeled shoes clicking on stone and it was getting close. I looked up through my hair that had since been torn from its topknot, wondering if it was perhaps Ekirei returning to torment me further. I watched the door carefully, waiting, not at all expecting what I saw. 

There, illuminated by the eerie orange lights behind her, stood Chimitsu. She was wingless and wearing a different set of clothes this time. Instead of the green blouse and white skirt, she wore a purple blouse with a shorter black skirt that revealed much of her slim legs. On her feet were a pair of elegant black heels that clicked noisily on the stone ground when she walked. 

I closed my eyes, trying to deny that she was there. It was impossible. She was wingless, a mortal now, how was it that she could have made it all this way into Aku's fortress without being harmed? Yet the sound of the clicking heels walking towards me was no illusion. 

Looking down through the curtain of hair, I could see the heels as she stopped right in front of me. Gently, she tipped my chin up so that I could look at her, her eyes showing her usual compassion and cheeriness. She was even smiling at me, clearly relieved to see me again. 

I swallowed hard, feeling the fear rise in my chest. I had seen her lose her wings, seen her struggle to fight against a mob of humans without her power. If she could not fight her way through that, then how could she have fought her way through countless minions to this dungeon? 

Something did not feel right about this. Even I would have had some trouble fighting my way down here, yet she did not appear to have even a scratch upon her pale skin. The only way she could have come this far was if she was Aku or Ekirei, a thought that I did NOT wish to think about. 

In no way did I ever want to face another Ikra. 

Slowly she leaned up closer to me and I could not resist, finding it hard to believe that she was really here, safe and sound, and had come for me. I closed my eyes as I felt the petal-soft lips on mine again, praying that this was no illusion or trick of Ekirei's. That it was honestly, truly Chimitsu standing there, gently kissing me. 

I responded warmly, urgently, very much wanting to believe that it was her there safe and sound, even without her wings and her power. It looked and felt like her, even kissed tenderly like her. I desperately wanted it to be her and not some illusion, even though an illusion seemed so much more likely. 

I could feel her hands on my face, her fingers sinking into my hair a bit as the kiss began to get a bit more desperate. I did not know what to think or believe now, torn between wanting it to be Chimitsu and fearing that it was Aku or Ekirei. A part of me felt stronger as a result of such a kiss, as if I could break free from these chains if I wished it, but I did not understand how this could be, especially when it could be coming from my mortal enemy. 

But she was so soft, so warm, and I could smell the scent of a soft spring rain radiating from her. There was no mistaking it. She was here. 

_You wish it was you and dear little Chimitsu there kissing like that, don't you?_

Ekirei's words from the night before ran like ice down my spine and once again, I debated on whether or not I had wanted it to be Chimitsu and myself in their shoes. Did I want to kiss her so lustfully? Would she want to be kissed like that? I had the chance, but I was still so very uncertain. 

Slowly, she pulled away, gazing into my eyes with a gentle smile on her face as she lightly caressed my jaw. 

Behind her, I heard more footsteps approaching and saw the silhouettes of Ekirei and Mad Jack approaching. They entered the dungeon, eyes showing a bit of disbelief upon seeing Chimitsu, but slowly smirked. Damn...they knew exactly what I knew, that she was human and that they could kill her now. I tensed, which drew Chimitsu's attention and she turned around, facing them. 

"Welcome, Chimitsu. Come for your samurai, I see. A pity that you can't do a thing to save him now." my double said. 

As if on cue, Eki held up a hand and fired a green orb in our direction at blinding speed. I could not move and there was no way that Chimitsu could block it or get out of its way in time. This was it. We were going to both die and there was nothing we could do about it. 

But, it seemed that Chimitsu was unafraid. 

As the orb closed in, she stood a few feet in front of me, her left arm raised and crossed over towards her right shoulder. Stupid! She was going to try to block it and take the brunt of its force for me! She was going to be killed instantly! 

_*SWAT*_

I stared at Chimitsu in disbelief as she smacked the green orb aside as if it was an annoying toy, sending it flying down another corridor, where it exploded and took out a good portion of the wall with it. Impossible! I had faced those orbs before and knew that no mortal could ever do such a thing. 

Mad Jack and Eki stared at her in shock, also wondering how a mortal could have deflected a killing strike like that. The silence that had fallen upon the dungeon was deafening. Nobody moved, nobody even seemed to breathe. The only one who did not seem at all shocked by this was Chimitsu herself. 

Suddenly, the back of her blouse split apart into tattered threads as two white wings sprouted from her back. I stared, my eyes wide at the sight. She had lost her wings. I had seen them disappear with my own two eyes. Eki had known and said that Chimitsu was human, that she could never regain her wings and her power as the Wind Elemental. 

Yet she stood there before me in her green Chinese-print dress, her white wings whole and unfurled behind her, blocking our doubles from getting to me. 

"That's impossible! She lost her wings! She was human! A pitiful mortal! She can't do that!" Eki cried in frustration. 

They began to run towards us and I tensed, knowing that there was no way Chimitsu could keep them both at bay. Yet, she did not have to. She sent them back with a short burst of wind and then, miraculously, my katana appeared in her hands. 

"Chimitsu-chan...how?" I asked. 

"No time to explain. First we fight, then I'll explain after we've gotten out of this hellhole." 

I held still as she unsheathed the blade and aimed it in my direction. I swallowed hard, realizing that she kill me in an instant with it and there was nothing I could do to stop it. I swallowed hard and closed my eyes, bowing my head in what I knew was going to be certain defeat. 

In one clean strike, she shattered the chains holding me. I dropped to the ground and quickly got to my feet, taking only a split second to shrug my shoulders to get the circulation going in my arms again. She had freed me. She could have struck me down and she did just the opposite. 

Now there was no doubt in my mind that it was Chimitsu, although I was not the only one who had realized this. Mad Jack and Eki were beginning to recover from the initial shock of seeing her, too. Chimitsu wasted no time and tossed my katana to me, the blade shimmering in the light of the dungeon. 

I caught it effortlessly, relieved to have it back in my hands. Whenever it was not at my side, I was uneasy. I always felt safer whenever it was at my side or close at hand within easy reach. Chimitsu unsheathed her nodachi from her back and spun it around in her hands expertly as the others closed in, heading immediately for Ekirei. 

That was just fine with me. 

"I don't know how your little angel girl did it, but she's gonna regret ever regaining her wings." he snarled. 

I roared furiously and swung down, catching him across the shoulder. He was going to pay. He was going to pay for what he had done to her, hurting her, driving her into such a state that she lost her wings and her power! 

Never before had I felt like taking revenge like this before. It was one thing for him to try killing me, to stir people up just to draw us out and hunt us down, but to come so very close to raping Chimitsu? It was completely unforgivable on any level. 

I wanted to see him suffer, to see him begging for mercy. I did not want to give him any such satisfaction, either, not when he had not shown Chimitsu any mercy when he had thrown her to that conjured bed. He did not deserve it and I would certainly not give it to him, no matter how hard he pleaded. 

No, the only thing he deserved was pain and suffering. 

He retaliated and I just barely avoided a strike aimed for my throat. With a soft growl, I swung back, meeting his blade, pushing against it, trying to force him back. It was impossible for me to snap the blade and we both knew it. 

He grinned sadistically and began to slash furiously at me. I quickly dashed out of the way, feeling the tiny burst of wind as the blade passed inches from my body, giving me no room for a mistake. The only trouble was, he was now backing me up and I did not want to do that. 

With a burst of strength, I pushed back against him, shoving him away before making a quick strike that caught his side. He snarled and ignored it, blocking the next strike with such force that I was almost knocked off balance. I had to be careful. The last time we had met, I almost did not survive. 

Over and over again he struck, but unlike last time, he was unable to land as many blows on me. Was it because I had simply been in shock of seeing him again last time or was it something more? He was an Elemental now, he had the same amount of strength, if not more, than Chimitsu and her double Ekirei had, which meant that any of them could clearly outdo me in sheer power. 

Yet I was able to easily keep up with him this time. 

Every move he made, ever strike that came my way, I was able to see and almost before he made it. Something had happened between the last time we had met and now, I just did not know what. Last time he had seemed so powerful, so utterly unbeatable and now it felt as if his defeat was well within my grasp. 

Left, right, left, right, strike, block, every move was easily matched. I could not even feel the burning ache in my arms as they strained to keep up with the movements after being chained still for so long. I hissed in pain as his blade raked along my back over my shoulderblades, forcing it down long enough to block the strike aimed for my side. 

I was beginning to tire, not just from the battle, but from the lack of food, sleep, and the mental exhaustion I had endured. Of course, as an Elemental, my dark twin had no such limitation. He had not even broken a sweat yet and I knew it would be some time before he did, likely long after I had worn down to the point of faltering and being killed. 

"Tired?" he asked. 

"Not by a long shot. I will fight to the death if I must." 

"Then I'll try to make it a quick one." 

He slashed again and I blocked, trying to push him down. He allowed this for a brief moment before shoving upwards, making me take a few steps back. A stinging blow tore open my thigh and with a roar, I charged, slashing viciously with renewed strength. 

I could not allow myself to tire or succumb to the pain of my injuries or the ache that was making itself well known in my arms and shoulders. I could not give up, not for any reason. To give up meant my death and likely Chimitsu's as well. 

He backed up, blocking, but it was clear that he was having difficulty in doing so. He wore a furious, determined expression, but I could see in his eyes that he could not believe that I was landing more blows on him this time instead of the other way around like the last time. Of course, the last time he had seen me, I had been so defeated and worn, waiting for the end. 

Now I had been fueled by the sight of Chimitsu regaining her wings and a desire to live, to not give up. I felt foolish for ever thinking about giving up, knowing that my father would never have given up, no matter what the circumstances. He would have kept a strong hope until the end as I had a feeling he did. 

Despite what had appeared to me in the dream, I knew that both my father and my mother died with the hope that someday, I would return and finish off Aku once and for all. If I gave up, that would never happen and I could not possibly disappoint them or any of the people that I had met who had such faith in me. 

All those children I had seen on occasion, waiting to catch a glimpse of me on the streets, dressed in replica kimonos like mine, carrying wooden swords as I had once done as a child. Those children had a hope I never had, a hero to look up to. I had my father, but seeing him fall to Aku had broken my heart, realizing that even heroes could fall. 

I still loved my father and missed him dearly, even hoped beyond hope that I would see him again someday, though the logical part of me knew that it was next to impossible to do so. I would not let those children down, let them see their hero fall so that they lose hope. It would break my heart to see those children lose hope that one day, this world would be rid of Aku. 

I dashed in again, slicing with lightning speed, striking once, twice, three, four times on his shoulder, back, forearm and shin. He was not at all happy about this and came back with as much speed and power as I had summoned, forcing me to block. I yelped as he tore away a part of my kimono on my back that had already been shredded, the white silk falling away to reveal the family crest I had tattooed there. 

"What's this? The Minamoto mon?"[1] he asked. 

I had nearly forgotten about it. I had received it upon my return to Japan from my training, at the temple where I had found my mother. All that I had left of my kimono from before was a tattered scrap that held the family crest and it was from that worn piece that the monks had given me the tattoo as a sign of who I was, so that I would never forget. It was on my shoulderblade, where they had placed it so long ago. 

"Yes. So I would never forget who I am, no matter where I went." 

"Heh. Sentimental fool." 

Our blades met over and over again, sparking wildly until we came face to face with each other, the sharp edges of our twin katanas just inches from our necks. 

"I fight for my family, my friends, my people...to all those who believe in me. Who do _you_ fight for, futago?" I taunted. 

"I fight because I can. Do you really think you can outmatch the Elemental of War?" 

I gasped and snarled as his katana bit deeply into my right arm close to my shoulder. He had taken advantage of my momentary surprise and struck painfully. I held my left hand over the wound to try and stop the bleeding while my head spun from the shock of his revelation. 

Elemental of War? Now that explained a lot. Why he was so strong, why he had such skill and cleverness besides that which I possessed. No wonder he could match me so easily and why he brought me down so fast last time. I had not been so surprised that I could not fight. He simply had more power to him this time around. 

That...was not a good thing. 

"I see. You may be the Elemental of War, but I know how you think. You and I are still one and the same." I said, straightening. 

"Heh. Are you sure 'bout that?" 

He struck and I blocked, returning the strike. Left, right, left, right, up, down, left, right, over and over our blades clashed once more. I dodged, he dodged, both of us equally matched for the moment. I circled him, watching him carefully, knowing that he would be trying to think of something I did not already know about. 

And then there was his darkness, which meant that he was prone to trickery and cheating. The words "fair fight" were _not_ at all in his vocabulary. I already knew to be careful, but somehow, I doubted that he was going to use any magic that he might have known on me. He enjoyed a good, old-fashioned, hand-to-hand battle instead of finishing me quickly with magic. 

Quickly, I dashed in, springing into the air. He matched the move, both of us heading for the other with rapid speed until we finally collided. The force of the blow nearly took me off balance, a large spark flying from our blades as they scraped against each other, actually making a small crater in the ground where it landed. 

I landed and turned to face him, feeling my exhaustion begin to weigh heavily on me. This battle had to end very quickly or Chimitsu and I would never get out of here. I caught brief glimpses of her and Ekirei on occasion, both using identical nodachis, each as equal in power to the other as Mad Jack and I were. At least for the most part. He had the advantage of being an Elemental and both Chimitsu and Eki were Elementals. 

I sprang forward, intending on ending this immediately, slashing furiously with one last burst of strength. I was tiring now and I was certain he could see that in me, even feel it along our connection. I could have tried to draw on his power, but I did not have the strength to fight him for it at the moment. 

He pushed me back and brought his katana down hard, forcing me to block awkwardly. Instantly, I could feel my wrist snap and went spinning to the ground from the sheer force of the strike. I fell hard, catching myself with my left hand before I struck the ground, panting hard. 

_Shit...that hurt....that hurt bad....almost took my hand off...._

I could sense him standing behind me with a nasty grin on his face, gloating triumphantly. I could feel the feeling of victory radiating from him along our connection, sense him spin his own katana around in his hand. Looking down at my right hand, I could see it hanging at a bad angle, shattered and useless now. However, that did not mean that I could not fight. I still had my left hand and had been trained to fight ambidexterously. 

My own katana was a few feet away, just within reach if I timed this just right. I could feel him take a step forward and raise his katana overhead, intending on cutting me down. He apparently did not know that I could fight with either hand or figured that I was not thinking of it at the moment. 

At the last moment, I pushed off my hand and feet, rolling out of the way and coming up with my katana in my left hand. Before he could counter or dodge, I slashed down at an angle, slicing from shoulder down to hip, right to left. He gasped and fell to his knees, pressing his hands to his soft side where I had struck deep, trying to prevent the wound from bleeding too much. 

I stood there, panting, exhausted, watching him back up and retreat a bit, not wanting to continue the battle. Nonetheless, I still did not dare to take my eyes from him lest he actually try to attack again. I sheathed my katana and gently cradled my right forearm in my hand, keeping it against my stomach to keep it from moving too much until Chimitsu could get to it. 

_"Minamoto-kun, abunai!"_[2] 

I whirled around in time to get caught with a shimmering blue orb in the chest, watching it sink into my body instead of knocking me over like the usual green ones did. Chimitsu wasted no time in viciously slamming the hilt of her nodachi into her double's chin to stun her, but the damage had already been done. I had already been weakened by the stress and fight with my own dark twin and it did not take much for the effects of the blue orb to be revealed. 

Within moments, my body began to weaken and my head began to spin dizzily. I felt so very ill, falling to my knees as the exhaustion swept over me. My vision began to swim and blur, so much that I almost did not see Chimitsu running over to catch me before I collided with the ground. 

"Minamoto-kun! Minamoto-kun!" 

Slowly, her panicked voice began to fade and once more, I slipped off into darkness. 

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_[1]mon_= family crest  
_[2]abunai_= look out! 


	22. Nijuuichi: Seduction

Aieee! Gomen gomen! I was hoping that my updates would be twice a week by now, but due to some snags, I'm lucky to make my Friday deadline. The good news is, I've got a head start on my editing(Arigatou gozaimasu, sss979!), so I should be good for two or three more weeks and by then, I'll probably have MORE chapters edited and ready for posting. :) Arigatou to all who have reviewed, I appreciate it! :) Once again, sorry for the lateness...*sweatdrops*...hopefully I'll manage a Friday update this week as well. Enjoy! - TN 

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**Mad Jack**

I watched as Chimitsu knelt down next to my fallen original, cradling him in her arms. He'd fallen, and so had Ekirei, leaving only the Wind Elemental and myself. I pressed my hand to my side, feeling the blood soak my torn black shirt, knowing that the wound was serious. I couldn't fight her just yet. 

"Eki's spell will kill him within four days, Chimitsu. She's laced his body with disease, with fever and there's no escape from it." I said quietly. 

I took some consolation in the fact that Chimitsu could only heal wounds and not sickness, meaning that my original would fall to Eki's diseases. He'd be dead by the end of the week, which was fine by me. That left only the Wind Elemental herself and she was proving herself to be a more troublesome foe than my original. 

"We shall see." she said, disappearing with him. 

I sighed softly, feeling my wound begin to knit itself closed at last. Ekirei pulled herself up from the ground, holding her broken jaw as she stumbled over towards me. I glared at her furiously before quickly teleporting to the Demon's Den to think and drown my sorrows. 

Straightening my appearance, I walked in and directly over to the bar. I sat myself in my usual spot at the bar, watching as the bounty hunters nearby quickly cleared the area. They didn't want anything to do with me, which was just fine. The fools were useless and I had no time for them. 

"Barkeep! Your strongest sake!" I bellowed. 

Without hesitation, the bartender brought over a shot glass and bottle of warm sake, which I immediately began to drink. Three times, now, we'd failed to bring them down. My original had been battered, shot, the Wind Elemental had been tortured and mentally tormented, and now my original had endured the same mental torment she had. Yet he'd still managed to bring himself out of it, to restore his hope and fight me. 

We'd have to try another means of destroying them now that separation clearly was not working. Lord Aku would be getting quite impatient with us, even on the verge of seeing us destroyed for our failures. We couldn't allow that to happen, which meant we had to think of something and think of it fast. 

I downed another shot of sake, staring furiously at the bottles of liquor on the shelves behind the bar. What would strike my original hard enough to crush him on the inside? Injuries were clearly no problem for him with the Wind Elemental on his side and trying to use his memories of his family against him had also failed. He couldn't be broken that way, that much was certain. 

Behind me, I could sense another's presense lurking in the shadows. For the moment, I ignored it, drinking down yet another shot of sake. I couldn't be bothered by people mistaking me for my original or wanting to get themselves in Lord Aku's good graces. Yet the presense refused to go away. 

I continued to stare at the bottles as I downed shot after shot of sake, quickly drinking down the bottle and ordering another. Someone sat down on the stool to my right and I shifted my eyes to see who it was, already having taken a good guess. Ekirei. Figures that she'd follow me here. 

"Drowning your sorrows in cheap sake?" she asked. 

"Leave me be, Eki. You've done enough for one day." 

"I'm hurt. I didn't see you faring much better out there either." 

I snorted and downed another shot as she ordered a glass of strawberry wine, sipping it elegantly. 

"This isn't helping, Eki." 

"What isn't helping?" 

"You baiting me all the fucking time. You just can't resist taking time to irritate me instead of using that mind of yours to torment Minamoto!" 

"Oooh, sounds like _somebody_ needs a nap." 

I growled and wheeled around, grabbing her by the neck before she could react, wanting to just kill her and get it over with, but knew I couldn't. She knew it too. Her eyes watched me impassively, even though I had her by the neck and all I'd have to do was squeeze if I really wanted to. 

Growling again, I let her go and snapped back around, sitting down on the barstool again, glaring into my sake. 

"We're wasting our time arguing with each other instead of being a team and taking them down." I snapped quietly. 

"What, you're suggesting that we actually work together on this one?" 

"I don't like the idea, either, but we don't exactly have a choice." 

She set her glass down and I turned to look at her, sitting up. Her leather jacket had been removed and laid on the bar, revealing the outfit she usually wore beneath. I'd always imagined it to be a halter top of some sort, but I liked what I saw a great deal better. A tight, black leather bustier with no straps, only lacing in the front to keep it up over her large chest. 

I shifted uncomfortably at the sight, trying to focus on what we were discussing, but between the sake and her outfit, it was becoming more and more difficult. She smiled seductively at me, tossing her long blonde braid over her back between her wings before taking another sip of her wine. Damnit, I had no time for this, either. 

"Of course we've got a choice, darling." she said. 

I growled at the term of endearment and turned back to my sake, or tried to. 

"No, we don't. Lord Aku's bound to know we failed _again_ and won't want to hear from us 'till we've got something good to report. You know as well as I do how close he came to sending us to the Pit of Hate last time. If we go back to him without proof of either the samurai or the Wind Elemental being killed, that's exactly where we'll go." 

"All right, fine. You're hardly any fun, but if I have to stop toying with you to avoid the Pit of Hate, then it'll be worth it. Anything to avoid the Pit. I'll just have to torment you later when this is all over with." 

"Not if I've got anything to say 'bout it." 

She pouted before taking another sip of her wine. 

"So what do we _do_, MJ? We've tried attacking and killing them, but direct combat's clearly no good when they equally match us. We've tried separating and trapping them, still no good. Torment, torture, nothing! There's gotta be something we've missed." 

"Agreed, but what? We've tried using their families against them, but their belief in them is too strong." 

She appeared to contemplate this for a few moments while I drank down another shot of sake. What could we do to break my original and the Wind Elemental? There was something we'd failed to think of first. I debated searching along my original's memories through our connection, but realized I was a bit too drunk to get anything clear from it. I'd have to wait and try it when I was sober. 

Suddenly, Ekirei's face brightened wickedly and she emptied her glass of wine, only to have it be refilled by the bartender. 

"What? You look like you've got something, what've you got?" I asked. 

"I don't know if I've got anything, really, but it might be a shot." 

"Well, spit it out!" 

She giggled and leaned in closer to me, so close that her rack was almost in my face. I shifted again, not complaining about the view, but wanting to focus on what she was saying and our mission instead. 

"What about all those kids out there? Those stupid brats that dress like him and carry their little wooden swords, pretending to be him?" she asked. 

"What about them?" 

"They all believe in him. They look up to him like some shining knight on his white horse. Well, what if we turned them all against him? Without people looking to him for hope, he's got nothing to fight for here, right?" 

"Hmm. You do have a point, but it's not going to work. Lord Aku's tried that before. He's tried to turn the people against my original several times but it doesn't work." 

"Ok, well, then we just destroy them and remove it that way. Cause a massacre, wreak havoc, tear things up." 

I paused and looked at her rack for a second before forcing myself to look up at her face. Focus, focus, focus. Don't lose track of the task at hand here. 

"That....that could possibly work. It would certainly draw him out into a fight for them." 

"Damn. That's not what I was hoping for. If he does that, then those kids'll just believe in their hero." 

"Unless...." 

"Unless what?" 

I laughed softly and downed another shot of sake. She sipped her wine and looked at me, sitting back a bit. 

"Unless it's their _hero_ that kills them!" 

"Ohhhh....you posing as the samurai, killing off innocents..." 

"Hey, the look has its advantages, now, doesn't it?" 

"Indeed. But what if it fails? We need a backup plan." 

I growled at her and gulped down yet another shot. 

"Screw the backup plan. This one can't fail." 

"MJ, you said that about other plans and every one of 'em has failed." 

I sighed softly. Damnit. I hated to admit it, but she was right. I had said that our previous plans were foolproof and they had all failed in the end. We had indeed come very, very close, but had ultimately failed. 

"All right. We get a backup plan. But what, Eki?" 

"I don't know." 

"Figures." 

I went back to my sake, doing my best to think. What else could we do to tear at my original's heartstrings to crush him like a bug? Eki toyed with her empty wine glass, her slender, elegant fingers twirling the stem. 

I didn't know if she had any clue what she was doing to me or not, but it didn't matter. Hell, even all this planning might not even matter if my original died from the sickness she infected him with. I could feel him weakening along our connection and slyly grinned to myself. 

Perhaps I had time to indulge in a bit of fun after all. But only if we had a plan or two ready in case he miraculously survived. After all, that was usually how it all went. We'd think he was dead or dying and something would come along and help him recover. Plan first, fun later. 

I shifted uncomfortably at the sight of Eki staring at her glass, her slim legs bared almost to the hip. At this angle, I could see that she didn't have a thing on underneath that short skirt of hers, but doubted that anyone else in the bar was close enough to see the view I was getting. I quickly turned away and downed another shot of sake, hoping Eki hadn't seen just how uncomfortable I was getting. 

But she had and she set aside the glass, slowly hopping down to the floor and moving in even closer to me. Her hands massaged my neck and shoulders and it was only then that I realized just how tense I was. I had to relax but couldn't do so until after we'd figured out what we could do to torment my original. 

"You're tense, MJ." she said quietly. 

"I have plenty of reason to be. I've got no time to relax when our troublesome originals are out there on the loose. We haven't destroyed them and can't rest until they've been exterminated." 

She sighed and kept it up, the massage clearing my head a bit. However, it was also making me incredibly horny on top of what she had already been doing to drive me wild. It wasn't helping our situation any, that much was certain. 

I would have to give her credit, however, for thinking of the children. It made sense that would tear at my original's emotions, but there had to be more than just hero worship to break him. I shifted again and eyed my empty sake glass, trying to think of what we could do. 

Suddenly, it made sense. Oh, this would be too perfect of a plan if we could execute it just right. Behind me, Eki stopped her massage and leaned against the bar next to me, her braid dangling over her shoulder. 

"You've got something, MJ, I can see it." she said. 

"You bet I've got something." 

"What are you thinking?" 

"My original. He's denied it several times to us, but I know that he's got feelings for the Wind Elemental." 

"So he's in love with her. Big deal." 

"Actually, it is. He's got feelings for her and I know that she's got feelings for him, but...they don't know how the other feels." 

"I dunno, MJ, that kiss we caught them sharing seemed like they knew pretty well how much they mean to the other." 

"Tch. That was nothing. My original still has his doubts as to whether or not she truly wants him like that. She might have an inkling of his feelings, but he's clueless when it comes to women. She's kissed him, he's kissed back, but he's not sure just how serious she is in her kisses. A part of him hopes she isn't serious, but the rest of him, the repressed, hormone-filled part of him wants her to be more than just serious." 

"What do you have in mind to do to them then?" 

"I'm not sure just yet, but there's bound to be something we can do to rip the pair to shreds." 

"Drive them apart, you mean." 

"Exactly. If they realize just how much they mean to each other, we'll be screwed for sure." 

"Not necessarily. We can still drive them apart if we must." 

"And combat?" 

"Combat's failed." 

"They're both warriors, they may choose to battle us if we try to tear them apart." 

She sighed heavily before running her fingers lightly down my arm. 

"I know, I know. Gotta do something different there, too. Fighting our exact doubles aren't getting us anywhere. They know what we're doing before we do it." 

"Then we fight the other. I fight Chimitsu, you fight my original. They can't predict our moves, we can't predict theirs." 

"Mm, you do have a point there. I did fight Minamoto briefly before Aku decided to revive you and I did have him almost killed. I probably _would_ have killed him if not for my original showing up to defend and heal him." 

The bartender had refilled her wine by now and she took a long sip from it. I watched her lustily, deciding that we'd done enough planning. It was time to enjoy ourselves. 

"But you may have gotten your chance. Your original can't heal sickness, so unless he miraculously recovers, we've already won." I said. 

"True, true, but better safe than sorry. If he _does_ somehow manage to survive the illness that I infected him with, then we've got our plans to destroy him with anyhow." 

"Until he finally does expire, we'll just have to wait and enjoy ourselves in the meantime." 

I raised my shot glass with the last bit of sake in it in her direction. 

"To the demise of Jack Minamoto and Chimitsu." I said. 

She grinned and clinked her glass with mine before we both downed the last of our drinks. I tossed a handful of coins onto the bar and hopped off my seat, eyeing her up. She'd been toying with me too long and I'd been holding back for just as long. It was time we both stopped tormenting each other and enjoyed each other's....company. 

She grinned, noticing my look, and picked up her jacket, draping it over her arm. 

"There's a room in back where we'll have our privacy." she said, her eyes filled with lust. 

"Is there, now?" 

She turned and disappeared towards the back of the bar, but not towards the hotel section. I'd always known about the rooms in the back that were for one-night lovers, but had never spent any amount of time in there. Eki and I had always spent our time either at our respective domains or high above in the hotel rooms set aside specifically for high-ranking minions of Lord Aku like us. 

But the urgency of the moment overruled taking the time to head for anyplace more suited to the two of us. I wanted her and I wanted her _now._

I watched as she pushed aside a door and followed her inside to find that the rooms were vaguely Japanese in style, with worn tatami mats and a futon over in the corner. I knew the bedding was changed between couples, but at the moment, I wasn't too interested in the futon. I paused only to make certain that the door behind me was solidly locked, adding in a magical ward for extra privacy. Nobody was going to disturb us and anyone who managed to would quickly be dealt with. 

Eki slowly slid her feet out of her thigh-high leather boots, having her back deliberately to me to tease me a bit longer. I kicked off my own boots and tossed aside my shirt, waiting for her to stand. To torment me further, she slowly straightened, her fingers expertly undoing the braid holding her hair back as she stepped up onto the mats. 

I followed, waiting for her to turn around. I wasn't about to do her from behind with her wings in the way. They would be too much of a nuisance. 

Finally, she turned and I quickly took the opportunity to make the move. I lunged forward and scooped her up by her hips, backing her up across the room until she slammed into the wall. I kissed her savagely, pressing my hips against hers. 

Oh yes, I was definitely going to enjoy every last minute of this. 


	23. Nijuuni: Waging War

Hope all of you are enjoying the story! :) There's still more to come, but...I would like to make one quick note. Between this chapter and the last is a chapter I had to cut due to ff.net's guidelines regarding NC-17 fanfiction material. *shoots the prudes a look* However, I have found a home for it, courtesy of sss979(arigatou!) 'till I can get my own webpages arranged and host it there. If you're over 18 and mild kink(hey, this is MAD JACK we're talking about here. *EG*) doesn't bother you, then jump on over to http://www.angelfire.com/ok5/tmnt/tn/impulses.html and see what MJ and Eki were up to during the night. If you're under 18 or bothered by the idea of what MJ and Eki could possibly do while alone, uhm, just ignore that and just read what I've posted here. Enjoy! - TN 

* * *

**Mad Jack**

The following morning, I awoke and rolled over onto my back, stretching. Mm...that felt so good. I turned a little to my right and saw the nude, sleeping form of Ekirei lying next to me, her long hair splayed out on the bed and over her black wings. 

Sitting up, I watched her sleep, smiling to myself at the thought of enjoying another night of wild sex with her, but knew that it'd have to wait. Annoying as she could be, she'd been exceptionally ferocious in bed. Yet we weren't going to win this war for Lord Aku on our backs in bed. 

I stood and dressed, running a hand through my ruffled hair before heading back out into the Demon's Den. The bar was empty this time of day, save for perhaps a few stragglers. I walked over to a table and sat down, looking at the newspaper that was sitting there. 

SAMURAI JACK DOES IT AGAIN! 

And reading lower... 

MYSTERIOUS WHITE SAMURAI ESCAPES AKU ONCE AGAIN 

I growled softly and clenched the newspaper tightly in my hand, intending on magically burning it. There wasn't any end to it! Damn Minamoto and his little angel. If we didn't stop either of them soon, it was going to be us whose heads Aku hung from his mantle. 

A few nearby bounty hunters quickly scattered, not wanting to be anywhere near me. The bartender also appeared nervous, but didn't dare speak up against me. He knew exactly who I was and who I worked for. But I wasn't in the mood for a drink this morning. 

"Good morning, handsome." 

I paused and looked up, seeing Ekirei standing there. Instantly, my mood brightened and I set the paper aside, gesturing for her to sit in my lap. As soon as she had settled herself over my legs, she leaned down, kissing me hungrily. 

I kissed back, my hands finding themselves comfortable on her shapely rear as my tongue found its way into her mouth. She gave a soft moan and pressed her hips up against mine tightly before slowly pulling away. The lust was quite visible in her dark green eyes, but now was not the time for it. 

"Good morning, Ekirei. Sleep well?" I asked. 

"As if you have to ask, MJ. Did _either_ of us sleep much last night?" 

I chuckled softly as she slid from my lap and moved over to a chair. 

"What's with the paper?" 

I looked back to the very rumpled newspaper and growled a little. Ekirei ordered a glass of orange juice, raising a brow at my reaction. I'd almost forgotten about the original, but she had to bring it up. It was just as well. 

"Just another stupid paper praising the efforts of my original." 

"Forget about it, MJ." 

I turned quickly on her. 

"Forget about it?! Eki, are you nuts?!" 

"No, but he'll be dead in a day or two, remember?" 

"You're wrong. He won't die that easily." 

"How can you be so certain?" 

"Because I can feel it along my connection to him. He's slowly recovering from that orb you dealt him." 

"That's impossible, MJ. _nobody_ can survive the blue orb." 

"Yeah, well, it seems that my original's gonna be the first." 

She set her glass of orange juice down on the table and looked at me, watching me carefully. I could see the contemplative look in her eyes before she picked up the glass again, taking a sip of its contents. If she knew I was speaking the truth, then it didn't seem to bother her. 

"Odd. Nobody's survived that orb before. He can't possibly be doing it all on his own." she said. 

"Chimitsu?" 

She paused, looking into her drink, then swirled its contents and set it down. 

"No. Chimitsu can't heal illness. Wounds, but not illness. That's why I thought he'd be dead for sure. She wouldn't be able to do anything to keep the blue orb from killing him." 

"But he's surviving. I can feel him hanging on, fighting to recover. Something or someONE is helping him." 

"It can't be Chimitsu. We know she can't do anything to help him and her sisters are all dead, so they can't be the ones either." 

"He has plenty of friends, but if you said there's no _cure_ to that spell orb you shot him with, then no medicine in existence can help." 

She sighed heavily and finished her juice. 

"The bottom line is; it doesn't matter who's helping him recover, just that somehow, he's recovering, which means we've failed yet _again_ and we can't go back to Lord Aku without another plan. As it is, we'll be lucky if he doesn't destroy us." I said. 

"MJ, stop worrying so much. The demon _can't_ destroy us. Well, technically, he could, but...if he did, our own Elemental Circle would be disrupted and screw up his plans worse than any failure of ours did." 

I paused and watched her trace the rim of her glass with a slender finger. It seemed that she had some brains after all, instead of just an incredible sex drive. She was right. Aku couldn't destroy us, no matter how many times we failed. 

"All right. The most he can do is bitch us out. So what's our big plan, Eki?" I asked. 

"Planning's your department, MJ. I just think of why Aku's not going to kill us both for our failures." 

I snorted and looked over the newspaper again. 

"Well, we already _did_ think of a couple of plans last night, didn't we Eki?" 

"Yeah, so, are we going through with them or not?" 

"I have to say, I like the idea of dressing as my original and turning all those who believe in him against him. Without people to believe in him, he'll be completely crushed." 

"And nothing would tear at his heart more than to know that people think it's his fault all those people, all those children, died at his hands." 

I laughed softly, watching the sadistic glint in her eyes. 

"Oh yes. That would definitely tear at his honor. If we're lucky, he'll drive himself to seppuku to restore the honor." I said. 

"I wouldn't go that far, MJ. First of, he'd know it was us, know that it was you that caused such havoc, and even if he didn't figure it out, Chimitsu's there and she'll keep him from doing such a thing." 

I sighed a little and nodded. 

"All right, perhaps him being driven to seppuku is a bit much to ask for, but it would tear at his honor to know that those kids died thinking their hero had turned on them." 

"And when they come to fight us, we take the other. I'll go for your original, you go for Chimitsu. They won't be able to predict our moves then and it'll be easier to battle them." 

"I know, I know. Still, I don't like the idea of combat. We can destroy some of their friends, but there's always going to be more people out there who will believe in the white warrior." 

"Perhaps. We'll just have to destroy them, then, won't we?" 

"Destroy them? MJ, do you know how _long_ that'll take to find every last person out there who believes in Minamoto and kill them? Aku won't like that idea one little bit." 

"There _are_ three others out there, aren't there?" 

"The other Dark Elementals? What, we're dragging them in on our failures now?" 

"Noooo...but they can certainly cause a lot of chaos out there." 

"What are you suggesting?" 

"I'm suggesting that it's time we stopped fooling around with those two." 

A waitress brought two glasses of orange juice over, one for me and a second for Ekirei. I took a brief moment to eye her up, watching the short skirt bounce off her butt and hips before Eki gave me a kick to the shin. I growled and looked back at her. 

"What do you mean, stop fooling around with those two?" she asked. 

"We've got Elemental powers, why don't we use 'em." 

She raised a golden brow as she took a sip of her drink. 

"What are you getting at, MJ? How is using our powers going to help?" 

"We invoke our powers on the world, throw it into chaos. When people are fighting starvation, death, disease, and war, how can they possibly think of the white samurai, much less believe in him?" 

"So that is your plan? We bring ultimate chaos about the globe? We can't do that without Aku's permission, you know that." 

"Then we go to him and get it. When the world is full of chaos, we're bound to bring down his friends, tear him and Chimitsu apart at the heartstrings, and possibly kill them both in the process. They can't fight us _and_ the whole world at the same time." 

I gulped down my drink, setting the empty glass down on the table. Ekirei watched me, her fingertip tracing the rim of her glass again. She appeared to be thinking of something else, her eyes showing a very dangerous spark. 

"Now what are you thinking, Eki?" I asked. 

She chuckled softly and I shifted a bit. She was beginning to irritate me now, questioning everything I thought of this morning. She didn't know the samurai like I did. She couldn't possibly know what would destroy him and what wouldn't. 

"Just about him and Chimitsu." she said. 

"What about them?" 

"Well, we both agreed last night that they were falling in love with each other, but didn't know of the other's feelings. Sure, they've kissed a few times, but we both know that Chimitsu's being hopeful and your original is so innocent in terms of romance that he doesn't know if she's serious or not." 

"All right. So what are you saying?" 

"I'm saying that what if they discover their feelings? What if they realize how the other feels?" 

"That would drive them through all the chaos we create. So long as they had each other, believed in each other, then no amount of chaos or destruction we bring about would keep them from trying." 

"Then that means we have to do _something_ to tear them apart. So long as _both_ of them are alone, then they'll be at our mercy." 

I sighed a little, rubbing at my temples. We'd tried this before, too, and it had failed like everything else. There wasn't any way I could think of to separate Minamoto and Chimitsu, not when they were both so admant about sticking together. 

"What would make them separate?" Eki finally asked. 

"Something completely out of character and heartbreaking." 

"I always liked the idea of infidelity." 

I raised a brow, looking at her. 

"And how do we propose to do _that_, Eki? Neither my original, nor yours, would ever be unfaithful to the other once they learned of their true feelings for each other." I said. 

She eyed me up and down, grinning nastily. I almost didn't like the look on her face had I not known that it meant that she had a devious plan in mind. 

"You look like him, don't you?" she asked. 

"Your point being?" 

"Separate them long enough for her to see you, dressed as Minamoto, with another woman, preferrably in the midst of some wild, nasty sex." 

"Eki, that's too far out of character for my original. First off, he's a virgin. He'd have to have slept with Chimitsu first for that to work. If he hasn't done that first, she'll know something's up." 

"And how is that?" 

"Baka. You remember how he reacted when you tried putting the moves on him, how innocent and shy he acted? Tell me, why would a man who had trouble simply _kissing_ a woman suddenly get into bed with one?" 

"Point taken. But I still say him doing something adulterous would drive her away from him, at least something within his bounds in case they haven't slept together yet." 

"A juicy kiss will work just fine, Eki. If she sees me, dressed as Minamoto, kissing another woman rather hungrily, that'll be enough." 

"And what about him?" 

"That's your part." 

"MJ, I only look like Chimitsu to a point. My wings are black, hers are white, it won't work. He'll see the black wings and know it's not her." 

"You can draw them into your body just like her, right?" 

"Yeah, so?" 

"Well, when she's regained her wings, she'll likely explain that's how she was able to deflect that green orb of yours. She kept her wings hidden until it was time to reveal that she'd regenerated them. All you have to do is dress like her, keep your wings drawn into your body, and start making the moves on another guy besides me. He sees you, thinks it's her, and also turns away as she turns away from him when she sees him with another woman. By the time they figure it out, we'll have destroyed them." 

She sighed a little and looked at me. 

"I dunno, it seems a bit flimsy, but if you're sure it'll work..." 

"Oh, it'll work. My original will be too shocked at the thought of her thinking he'd been with another woman and in enough emotional strain at the thought of her being with another man that it'll take them both awhile to put two and two together to realize what we've done." 

"And when they figure it out, there'll be enough havoc created around the world that they won't be able to stop it." 

"Exactly." 

She laughed softly and downed the rest of her juice, eyes shining with a sadistic joy. I glanced back towards the crumpled newspaper and thrust a dagger into the image of my original on the front page. Soon, he and the Wind Elemental would be thrown before Lord Aku to suffer at his whims. 


	24. Nijuusan: Commencement of Chaos

**Mad Jack**

Eki rose from her seat and straightened her skirt. I watched her for a moment before standing as well. By now, a few bounty hunters had indeed filled the bar, most of them talking noisily. 

"I'm heading on back to report to Lord Aku. You comin' with?" she asked. 

"I think I'll ride back." 

"All right. See you there." 

She disappeared in a fluffing of black feathers, leaving me alone in the bar to think for a few seconds. I noticed a few bounty hunters in the corner, looking my direction, speaking in hushed tones. I ignored them and ordered a quick shot of sake before turning and heading out the door. 

I walked over to my bike, chasing away a couple of punk kids hanging a bit too close to it before climbing aboard. I revved it up, not hearing some footsteps coming my way. Yeah. Nothing like raw horsepower. 

"Hey! You!" 

I paused and looked up, seeing several of the bounty hunters standing there, all leering at me. I gave them a quick, sharp look before slipping on my sunglasses, intending on leaving. Yet three of the larger ones blocked me, much to my dismay. 

"What do you idiots want?" I asked. 

"The money Aku's got on your head." 

He held up one of the electronic wanted posters with my orignal's likeness on it, shoving it in my face. 

"That'd be you and we aim to collect." he said. 

"I don't think so." 

"And just why not?" 

"Because it's not me you're after." 

They took a look at me, then looked at the poster the leader held, and all burst into uproarous laughter. I sighed a little and rolled my eyes. Stupid bounty hunters. 

"Aha...now if that ain't a coincidence. This looks like you, so we say it must be you." he said. 

"That's not me, so if you would _excuse_ me, gentlemen. I must be on my way." 

I revved my bike and started to move forward, only to be pushed back by the largest of the bunch. I growled a little in warning, my katana hanging from my hip. It was within easy reach if I so wished to use it. 

"It's you...Samurai Jack." 

This was more than I could stand and I lowered my sunglasses a bit, peering over the rims at the hunters. 

"The name's _Mad_ Jack." I snarled. 

"Ok, so, you had a name change. We're still gonna collect." 

"I don't think so." 

I backed my bike up almost onto the sidewalk, revved it, and sped forward full speed, ramming the blocking hunters out of the way. I sped almost onto the opposite sidewalk, turning sharply at the last second. I turned my head towards them, seeing the looks of shock on their faces. 

"If you boys want your money from Lord Aku, you're gonna have to _catch_ me first!" I cried before speeding off as fast as I could go. 

I sped off down the streets of the city towards the desert, half hoping I'd lose them, half hoping they'd catch up so I could toy with them a bit. Sure enough, it wasn't long before I heard the roar of engines behind me. I glanced back, grinning upon seeing the small group taking chase. 

With a laugh, I sped out of the city onto the dusty desert road, the hot wind tearing into my hair. Ah, yes, I was going to have playmates today. I watched as one of them dared to pull up alongside me, drawing a large gun. I laughed again, amused at the thought of them shooting me. A gun couldn't hurt me any more than any other mortal weapon could. 

But I could hurt them. Oh yes, I could hurt them a great deal. 

I let him ride alongside me, making him think he'd actually had a chance to match my riding skill. When he began to take aim, I drove with my left hand, reaching over with my right. He hadn't seen the katana I carried and it was going to cost him. 

In one swift strike, I lashed out, taking his arm and the gun it held. He roared in pain before wiping out, skidding off the road into the sand. I chuckled softly as the others closed in, one pulling up alongside my left. 

"You're gonna pay for that!" he roared over the engines. 

"I highly doubt it!" 

I switched to my left hand, driving with the right now. I made several quick slashes before speeding ahead, watching his bike explode in my rearview mirrors. I'd slashed open his fuel lines and a stray spark from the sand scraping along the metal of his bike had ignited the tank. But that was only two. There were still some more. 

I switched my blade back to my right and pulled a 180, turning around to face them. I hardly paused to rev the engine before speeding towards them, katana in hand. One of them took the challenge and met my charge, seemingly playing a round of chicken with me. 

I laughed, enjoying this. If he was stupid enough to risk a crash with me, the only one who'd lose would be him. I was immortal, I'd survive, but...my bike wouldn't and I wasn't about to ruin a perfectly good motorcycle. 

I watched as another came in on the other side, just a little bit behind the other. I chuckled softly to myself as I closed in on the first, slashing his tires out from under him. I didn't even pause, quickly switching to the left hand and slicing its owner in half before skidding to a stop. 

The last two were closing in, the shock clear on their faces upon seeing what was left of their partners. I sheathed my katana and watched them through my sunglasses as they approached. 

"Impossible! You're going to pay for that, samurai!" the leader roared. 

I simply laughed and revved the engine of my bike, preparing to take off again. 

"If you want me, then come get me!" 

I sped away back down the road again, hearing them take pursuit. Soon, they'd pulled up alongside me, each aiming a submachine gun at me. I grinned, letting them keep pace, knowing that I could escape at any moment I wished it. 

They took aim, being careful to stay on the road and keep me in their sights at the same time. At the very moment they were about to fire, I revved my engine and pulled upwards into a wheelie, speeding away, leaving them to fire their guns into each other. Once I'd come back down, I took a brief glance back to see that they'd taken each other out before looking back to the road and speeding away, leaving them in the dust. 

Once I'd left them behind, I used a bit of magic to warp myself to the outside of Aku's castle, where I came to a stop. I put the bike in park and dismounted, heading on up, watching the bike fade away to my castle, not being allowed to stay on the grounds of Aku's castle. My boots clicked hollowly against the stone steps as I made my way up to the castle and inside to Aku's audience chamber, finding the other Elementals having already gathered there. 

I found Ekirei standing off to the side with her wings folded against her back as she leaned against a pillar, watching as Lord Aku spoke to some bounty hunters. Why he didn't just stop relying on them to catch my original, I didn't know, but I didn't dare interrupt him, either. I walked over to Eki, who turned her head my way and smiled slyly. 

"About time you got here, warrior. What took you?" she asked. 

"Traffic." 

She snickered and I gave her a look. 

"Bounty hunter traffic, if it makes you feel any better." I said. 

"What, they after your cute little ass?" 

"Not after my ass, no. I don't think they were the types to be after my ass. What's Lord Aku doing with those hunters over there?" 

"Special reward. Seems he's tired of our failures and is sending some of his own bounty hunters out as well. He's offered more than the usual amount of money for the capture of the white samurai and the Wind Elemental." 

"Typical. Did you make a report yet?" 

"Did it the minute I got back." 

"What was his reaction?" 

"Pissed as usual, but he likes the idea, so he's not gonna kill us today, thankfully." 

I snorted and folded my arms, watching Lord Aku give the bounty hunters orders, showing them a poster with my original's and Chimitsu's faces on it. I wondered why he didn't also post a warning to not go after myself and Eki, but I had a feeling the demon would enjoy watching us take down some bounty hunters. Either that or he hoped that the hunters would take us out so he wouldn't have to do it the next time we failed. 

"So he's gonna let us go ahead with our plans?" I asked. 

"Seems that way, MJ. The others certainly seem happy to get out of this fortress and do something besides sit around on their butts." 

"Or in Lord Aku's bed, in Fuki's case." 

She chuckled nastily and quickly quieted down. 

"Actually, we'd better not let Fuki hear that. I heard she'd gone and killed some minions for gossipping about her occupying Aku-sama's bed and making jokes about it." 

"Nice. I can bet that Lord Aku was willing to forgive her seeing as how he thinks she's such a good lay." 

"Something like that." 

I smirked and stood there next to her, watching as the bounty hunters took off, all eager to collect the bounty on my original's head. Lord Aku turned to the magical screen behind him, where a frozen picture of my comatose original and Chimitsu was. I couldn't quite make out where they were, but it looked like some sort of laboratory. Heh. Could it be that Chimitsu was foolish enough to try to take him to a hospital? 

With a sigh, he turned back around, stroking his beard, his brow furrowed in concentration. Ekirei and I stood there quietly, waiting for him to give us orders or at least dismiss us. Finally, he shrank down a bit to acknowledge us, his eyes studying myself and Ekirei. 

"So, my prodigal son returns." he said upon seeing me. 

I gave him a respectful bow immediately, keeping my eyes lowered to the stone ground just before him. 

"Forgive me, my lord. I simply did not feel it necessary to waste my teleportation energies in my arrival." 

A flimsy excuse, but he seemed to buy it for the moment. 

"You are most fortunate that I still need you and your wasteful lover's services or I would have you both terminated for your insubordination." 

I winced a little, but ignored it, knowing that he could kill me with a thought if he decided to change his mind, the Dark Elemental Circle be damned. 

"My most humble apologies, my lord. It shall not happen again." 

I could feel his eyes upon me, knowing that he didn't fully believe me, but he instead dismissed me, rather than reprimand me further. Inwardly, I sighed in relief, happy to know that I would live to battle my double another day. I'm sure it had more to do with keeping the Dark Elemental Circle intact than anything else, but I was not about to be ungrateful. 

I slowly rose from my bow, sensing the others behind me. Ekirei stood the closest to me, while Fuki seemed to be the most aloof, standing almost within the shadows nearby. If not for protocol, I would have been most happy to slip an arm around her waist. 

"Ekirei has brought to my attention a reason for sending you all out into the world and not just after the white samurai." he said. 

"And what reason would that be, my lord?" Netami asked huskily. 

Aku gave her a sharp look and I held back a laugh at the idea of her being unnerved by him. Rumor had it that she, too, would occasionally occupy his bed, but only when Fuki was not available or had not been enough for him. Not exactly an image I wanted to have in my head, but he'd reprimanded her publicly, keeping her lust in check. 

"The samurai and the Wind Elemental's powers have grown stronger as time has gone on. I know that they are recovering somewhere, but unfortunately, my divinations to their whereabouts have been blocked. The image you see behind me is all that I can get." 

"What could be causing their strength to grow so?" Fuki asked. 

"I am not entirely certain, but I fear that the power of the Star of the Elements is somehow becoming active." 

"How is that possible?" Ekirei asked. 

"I do not know. The Wind Elemental has all the pieces, but as far as we know, she has not yet given it to the samurai. The power sleeping within him should not be awakening." 

"We must get that amulet away from him, then, before the power awakens in him completely and he becomes unstoppable." I said. 

"Indeed. The five of you must go out, spread over the world, bring about chaos and destruction, and draw them from wherever they hide. With innocents dying, the white samurai will not be able to stay hidden for very long. His own honor and that of the Wind Elemental will demand that they come out to help." 

"And when they do, we'll be there to catch them off guard and bring them to you." 

"Yes, but need I remind you that I do not expect any further failures from you. You and Ekirei have failed me enough. Go and do not return unless you have the white samurai or the Wind Elemental!" 

The five of us immediately bowed and retreated once he had disappeared into mists. While my original was taking time to heal his body, we were taking the time to make our own plans. By the time he had recovered enough to seek us out, we'd have caused enough chaos over the world to make it nearly impossible for him to find us. 

With a laugh, I turned to Ekirei and kissed her hard, reaching up to lightly caress the sensitive spot between her wings. I could care less about what the other three did, but I was going to have so much fun causing havoc with her at my side. Minamoto was going to regret ever daring to break Eki's spell and Chimitsu was going to regret ever daring to help him. 


	25. Nijuuyon: Fire Memories

I felt so weightless, as if I was flying, as if the wind itself was carrying me away, beating with invisible wings. I could feel the cool, crisp, sweet-smelling night air dance across my fever-drenched body. I was ill. That blue orb...it cast illness of some kind upon me. 

I could feel a comforting warmth wrap around me, almost like a mother's embrace, and instantly, I relaxed. I wanted to move, yet remained still, feeling too weak and ill to move much. I was weak, helpless as a newborn kitten, and hoped that I was not alone should Ekirei decide to return and finish me off. 

Faintly, I could hear Chimitsu's voice speaking to someone else, but I did not know whom. They were speaking too softly for me to catch what they were saying or recognize any of the voices besides Chimitsu's, yet that alone made me feel better. I was among friends and could allow myself to drift away and recover. 

Slowly, I drifted back within the depths of my mind, past the memories of my family and childhood, letting myself wander, drifting endlessly, not knowing where I was. Perhaps I was dying, but it did not really feel like death, not like how I had expected it to be. Not this quiet, gentle peacefulness surrounding me from all over. I sighed contentedly and closed my eyes, letting the feeling overtake me, too exhausted to fight the relaxing feeling for long. 

Slowly, I opened my eyes, feeling another's presence nearby. It was warm, like a fire, and full of love like my mother. I had stopped floating and was now lying facedown on what I thought was the ground, what felt solid like the ground, but..was not the ground. It was...nowhere, really, just white, open, infinite mists. It was as if I had simply stopped floating while I had been asleep and was suspended here, although I could move quite freely if I wanted 

I pulled myself up onto my knees, looking around into the mists for the source of the presence I was feeling. Soon, the mists parted, revealing a beautiful redheaded woman wearing an elaborate red kimono embroidered with silver phoenixes kneeling a few feet away. She looked up at me and smiled, her aquamarine eyes shimmering with the same kindness I had seen in Chimitsu's eyes. But she was not Chimitsu. 

"Who...?" 

She chuckled softly and seemed to float over to me, not once moving from her kneeling position. 

"My name's Himoto and I am the Elemental of Fire." 

Her voice carried a warm, twangy accent to it, soft and comforting. I was not certain if I was alive or dead, awake or dreaming, everything feeling so surreal to me at that moment. After all, if she truly was one of Chimitsu's sisters, she could not possibly be here, not when she was dead. 

Not unless I, too, was dead, and the uncertainty of that thought was more than a little unnerving. 

"The Elemental of Fire? But that is impossible. The Elemental of Fire is...is..." I began. 

"Dead? Yes, I know. I died months ago, dear samurai, but the Elemental Circle has been broken and it can't be restored until you have completed your quest." 

"The destruction of Aku, I know." 

"Not just that. You must free us." 

"Free you? But if you are already dead, then how are you not free?" 

"All in good time, dear warrior. There's more that you must learn first." 

I watched her take my hands and look at the palms, her soft, warm hands lightly tracing the little lines in them. I could hardly watch what she was doing, fascinated by her face and the way her phoenix earrings swayed from her lobes. She was more beautiful than anything I had ever seen before. Well, besides Chimitsu, that is. 

"Asagi's going to be happy to see this. You have a warrior's hands, strong, powerful. I can feel the power radiating from you. Yes, the time has indeed come at last." she said, unaware of my awestruck staring. 

"Time? What time?" 

"For the power of the Star of the Elements to be harnessed. A bit premature, I must admit, but we have no choice now. Aku has started things that cannot be reversed and in order to stop him, we need your katana and the Star." 

"I am sorry, but I do not have the Star of the Elements. Your sister, Chimitsu, has it." 

She smiled a bit, a look of relief briefly crossing her face as she slowly released my hands, letting them drop back down into my lap. 

"Ah, yes, our little sister. It's good to know that she's still alive with the Star, otherwise I'd be a bit concerned in activating its power." she said. 

"Why would her life be cause for concern?" 

"Nevermind that, samurai. What matters is that she's alive and the Star is still within her hands. So long as she's alive and has the amulet, then we still have a chance." 

"I mean no disrespect, but what does this all have to do with me?" 

She chuckled softly and reached up, brushing my hair out of my face. I caught a spicy sweet scent as she did this, realizing that it was cinnamon. But I could not be distracted by such sweet scents. Not when I still did not know why she was telling me all this now, when I could do nothing to use such information in my current condition. 

"Everything. Without you, we can't win. I know it's a lot to put on your shoulders, but there is nothing we can do about it. I know Chimitsu's told you about Elemental Law already and how we Elementals can't harm each other." she said. 

"Yes. Only Aku has broken Elemental Law and sent everything off track into chaos." 

"Ahh, you learn quick. Good. Then it's safe to assume that she told you about the Star and that sword of yours and how they are connected. One offensive, one defensive, yes?" 

"Yes. She told me about the power within my blade and the power of the Star to protect me from Aku's attacks." 

"Did she tell you that it has the power to lend you our powers, the protection of the Elements?" 

"She did mention something like that, but never fully explained it." 

She closed her eyes for a moment, taking my hands again, almost as if she was focusing on something. I could feel a warmth radiating from her, flowing along my veins through my body, but it was not painful. Finally, she opened her eyes and sighed softly, looking a bit sad as she released them once more. 

"I see. She didn't have the time to explain everything that was necessary to you. She told you as much as she could, but missed a few things. I must hurry, then. Time is running out for you, warrior, and the world." she said softly. 

"What is it that I need to do?" 

"Only listen. I was given the first point of the Star to guard over, the Fire Point. It holds the power over fire and heat and from it, you can draw upon this power, but only when the Star is whole. These five Points were meant to work together, not alone, and can only give you any power when the amulet is whole, understood?" 

"Yes." 

"Good. This point that I guarded over, it can protect you from heat, from fire and if you wish it, it can give you the power to burn your enemies. Use these powers only if you must, though. To use the Elements too much means to throw things even further off balance and we don't need that. Also, a warning, dear warrior, for these powers have but one limitation. In addition to using one power over the others too much, you cannot use one Element against an opponent that bears the same powers." 

This did not seem to make any sense to me. What did she mean by fighting someone with the same powers if there was only one Star of the Elements? I was beginning to have a bad feeling about all this. 

"What do you mean?" I asked. 

"You cannot use Fire on any Fire-related powers, Water on any Water-related powers, and so forth. Aku has created his Dark Elements, which are our opposites and you must choose carefully which Light Elemental power to use against each Dark Elemental." 

"I see." 

"Give me your hands again, warrior. I need to make sure that the balance is within you and the powers will accept you as their carrier." 

I gave her my hands without hesitation and she took them, closing her eyes once more. I felt another, greater surge of warmth sweep through my body, almost to the point of burning me, but somehow, it never became painful, only comforting. Around our hands, I could see a red glow that pulsed with our hearts that beat as one, shining almost too brightly for me to look at. 

We sat like that for a few moments, the pulsing of the energy and our soft breaths being the only sounds that I could hear. Finally, she pulled away and released my hands, the glow fading away until the only sign of it was a gentle warmth deep in my chest. I could feel the power welling up within me, a power that I never knew that I held before, something that only Himoto could have invoked. 

"It's done. I can do nothing more for you now." she said quietly. 

"But there seems to be something I can do for you." 

"Indeed. There is but one last thing to do now." 

She took my hands again and pressed hers to them in such a way that a surge of energy tore through my body almost violently. I gasped and almost jerked away, but something inside me kept me from it. There was no turning back or fighting it now. 

In a rush, the power overwhelmed me and sent my mind and spirit reeling back dizzily into the depths of the Elemental's mind to her last moments... 

* * *

Opening my eyes, I found myself as a spirit in an elegant palace decorated with various reds and silvers. Expensive paintings, statues, and the like were everywhere, filling every nook and cranny in the building that I could see. Even the floor looked expensive, a red-swirled marble that had been polished so well that I could almost see my reflection in it. 

Just ahead of me, I could see a grand staircase made of the same sort of marble as the floor, winding elegantly up towards the far wall in the center, then splitting off into two sides. Statues of phoenixes in varying shades of red crystal adorned the Grecian-styled railings at the bottom of the staircase, frozen in place with their wings outstretched. 

Never before had I seen such lavish decor and I walked over towards the railing, reaching up to touch the phoenix statues. They were both exquisitely carved and I was in awe of the detail each one held. Both looked so real that I expected them to take flight the moment my hand touched the cold stone and was disappointed when they did not. 

I could hear the sound of someone's heels clicking against the marble in the hall above and looked up towards the top of the staircase. There, standing at the opposite railing, was Himoto, wearing an elegant red dress with a high-necked collar and a skirt that was quite short. It was not as short as Chimitsu's black skirt had been, but was enough to make me blush. 

Her red hair had been pulled back and piled up with a few strands curling down around her face, almost hiding the silver and ruby phoenix earrings that she wore. I watched in awe as they swayed back and forth, not finding her to be any less beautiful than when I had met her only a few moments before. But my awe turned to cold unease as she turned my way. 

"You...what are you doing here?" she asked, looking right at me. 

I froze, my heart pounding wildly in my chest as I debated whether or not could see me. 

"You know exactly why I'm here, Himoto." 

My blood turned to ice when I heard that voice that haunted me, even in my dreams. Oh gods, I knew that voice, but what was he doing here? 

I whirled around, expecting to see Aku, but instead, I saw the man from my vision, the one with the long hair almost to the floor. It was not in a braid this time, but pinned back with some sort of ribbon in the middle, hanging so that the end of the odd ponytail touched his heels. 

Once again, I froze, confused. He was hardly what I had expected, not looking at all like the shadow demon I knew, but a young human, perhaps mid thirties or so. I furrowed my brow as I studied him carefully, sensing a dark, chilling aura about him, but it was not enough to convince me that he was Aku. 

"If you're here for the Fire Point, you're already too late. It's out of my hands and you'll never attain it." she said. 

"A pity, Himoto. You could have spared yourself a great deal of pain by simply handing it over." 

"Oh, yes, and allow the world to fall into suffering at your hands. I think not. You're getting pretty predictable in your old age, Aku, y'know that?" 

"We shall soon see just how predictable I am, Fire Elemental." 

I looked between the pair, watching as Fire brought out a pair of nasty looking sai. They were larger than usual, the prongs much longer than any pair of sai I had ever seen. I turned to the one behind me, looking at him carefully. 

It was creepy to see this guy talk with Aku's voice when I KNEW that Aku was a shadow demon, not human. I looked between the two, watching them prepare for battle with each other, feeling sweat trickle down along my jaw as I tried to figure this out. Aku was a powerful, shapeshifting, shadow demon. Why did this guy have his voice and why did Himoto call him "Aku"? 

The only explanation I could think of was what Chimitsu had told me about him being the Dark Elemental. If that was true, then that meant that the shadow demon was only a shift and this was his real form. I swallowed hard, realizing what Chimitsu had meant when she had said I knew little of his powers. 

I watched as he brought out a large bisento, glancing back towards Himoto and her oversized sai. My heart pounded in panic when I realized that there was no possible way she would be able to get in close enough to strike, even if those sai were larger than normal. His bisento would keep her far enough away unless she wanted to risk being killed. 

She walked down the steps, her heels clicking against the marble as she descended. I swallowed hard, not wanting to see this, but I knew that I could not stop it when neither of them could see me. This was all a memory, invoked and shown to me by the Fire Elemental's spirit and it would play out until the end, whether I liked it or not. 

They readied themselves before Himoto charged at him, running at full speed. I drew in a breath, knowing that she was going to be instantly impaled upon the blade of the bisento Aku carried. Yet even the fiery Elemental was not stupid when it came to combat. 

She ducked low, going underneath the blade, catching the handle in the prongs of her sai. I was impressed with the skill and speed she held, realizing then why the sai were so large. She was used to fighting against polearms as well as blades with them. 

Without missing a beat, she drove the other sai into his shoulder with such a vicious force that I took a step back, wincing. That HAD to hurt, yet Aku did not flinch or fall in pain as I had thought. Instead, he laughed and shoved her back, sending her skidding across the marble floor. 

He tore the sai from his wounded shoulder and flung it at her, just barely missing her foot as she rolled out of the way. She tore it out of the marble and got to her feet, watching him carefully. He brought the long bisento down and she caught the heavy blade between the crossed prongs of her sai before kicking him in the chin with her heeled shoes, making a resounding crack as the blow connected. 

Aku may have been my sworn enemy, but even I had to wince at the thought of being kicked in the face with a pair of those. 

He stumbled back and she readied herself again. They took turns circling and swatting at each other, keeping their distance from each other for awhile as I watched helplessly. On occasion, they would appear to make a strike, but it was only a feint in an attempt to bait the other into attacking. 

Finally, Aku swung down in an overhead arc towards her, forcing her to duck down and roll. My heart froze in my chest as a few strands of red hair fell to the marble floor as she dove and rolled away, but she had escaped otherwise unharmed. As soon as she had come out of the roll, however, she lashed out with one of her sai, throwing it lefthandedly at Aku, a move that once again impressed me with the level of skill she held. It had to have taken her YEARS to learn how to do that. 

He roared and stumbled back as the sai buried itself up to the double prongs in his chest, the other, longer prong protruding from his back. I almost felt sick to see that, knowing that had he not been an Elemental, the move would have instantly killed him. Of course, that was one of the advantages of being immortal. 

Again, he tore the weapon from his body, the wound slowly closing after it sluggishly, as if his body was having difficulty in healing itself. Of course! I realized that because he was the Darkness Elemental, the clash of such opposing forces would make it difficult for him to heal. I almost had to pity him, though, knowing that such a wound just HAD to hurt like hell. 

Throwing it aside into a wooden pillar, he once again stood ready. Himoto was now down one sai and could not take the time to go after its lost mate, even if she was doing so well against him. So far, she had not been wounded even once, and three times she had struck him hard enough to slow him down, but not much. 

"It is good to see that you still have some fighting spirit left in you, Himoto." he said. 

"I always have fighting spirit, Aku, at least when it comes to badass Elementals like yourself." 

Aku laughed at her words and attacked, slicing down diagonally at her to cut her in two so quickly that I was certain she would not be able to dodge it in time. Effortlessly, she blocked with the remaining sai, twisting it in her hand to try and snap the blade, straining with the effort. I watched helplessly, knowing that it was useless for her to try such a thing, but not knowing how to tell her to stop when this was all just a memory. Unlike the blade of a katana, a bisento's blade was larger and thicker and even her oversized sai would not be able to break it. 

She kept going, straining with all her strength while Aku simply stood there, watching her amusedly while I watched tensely, waiting to see what the outcome would be. Eventually, she pushed her weapon to its limits and the prongs shattered to pieces as if they had been made of glass. She quickly backed away in surprise before Aku could strike again, swearing in a language that I did not recognize as she tossed the broken weapon aside. 

I swallowed hard, knowing that she was defenseless now, at least against the bisento. Yet, even then, I knew that she was not completely defenseless, simply restricted to hand to hand combat. Even barehanded against a bisento, I was certain it was within her abilities. Like the others, she knew more to fighting than I ever would. 

"You still have a chance, Himoto. Give me the Fire Point and I may just let you live." Aku said. 

"No. I will not give you the Fire Point. Even if I gave it to you, you would still have to destroy me because it won't work for you so long as I am alive." 

"Very well then. So be it." 

He readied himself and then charged towards her full force with the bisento out in front of him. By the gods, he was going to tear her apart! 

I dashed forward to try and stop him, not caring that this was all a memory and that I could not change anything. I did not want to watch him cut her down and leapt at him, passing right through and rolling to the floor. I swore in frustration as I got to my feet again, watching him continue on his way towards the lovely Fire Elemental. 

Himoto stood tall as he charged in, not once flinching at the sight of the bisento coming her way. I stood there, frozen in horror, knowing that I was powerless to stop whatever was going to happen. I wanted to stop him myself, to use my katana while he was distracted, but I knew that I could not, that it was impossible. 

At the last moment, Himoto brought up her hands and fired off a redhot fireball. Magic! Of course! She WAS an Elemental after all, and entitled to her own Elemental Magic. I was relieved to see this attack, but would that be enough to stop Aku in his tracks? 

He spun the bisento around, absorbing the fireball, much to my and Himoto's horror. I had no idea that he had such power within him. That fireball was nothing to him and now Himoto had no chance to dodge or fire off another attack as he continued to charge towards her. 

"HIMOTO! HIMOTO!" 

I dashed forward, even though it was useless, once more trying to stop the combat before it was too late. 

Everything moved in slow motion as Aku charged in towards the stoic Himoto, bisento held out in front of him. At the last moment, he slashed down, tearing her in two and killing her instantly as I reached out, tears of frustration stinging my eyes as I watched her fall. My heart broke at the sight of her body lying on the marble floor, her blood staining the pristine white and red. 

Aku stood triumphantly over her, laughing that hideous, chilling laugh of his before he disappeared in a swirl of shadow. I knelt down next to Himoto's fallen form, my body trembling with shock at what had just been shown to me. I had known Aku to be cruelly brutal before, but never had I imagined that he could be this brutal. 

I reached down to try and touch her still, form, forcing myself to hold back the pain I felt rising in my chest. She had died trying to keep him from getting to the Fire Point and had fallen at the cruel demon's hands, her fiery beauty frozen forever in the moment of death. And for what? All because of Aku's lust for ultimate power? 

Knowing that there was nothing I could do, I bowed my head and clenched my fist at my side as I slowly stood once more. 

Was this her fate for protecting the Fire Point? 

Suddenly, a flash of light burst from her chest, swallowing me up before I had a chance to back away, feeling as if I was being torn away from Himoto's memories... 

* * *

I opened my eyes, finding myself on a bed, thick blankets wrapped all around me. My head spun as I looked about weakly, sweat beading and rolling down my face. Where was I? Where had Himoto gone? 

I could see a pair of wings not far away from where I lay, slowly realizing that I was looking at Chimitsu's back. She was standing at a table, looking at something, but I did not know what. I wanted to move, to reach out to her, but I could not, my body aching and weak all over. 

"Look at this...the Fire Point is glowing." she said. 

"Well, I'll be. I wonder what makes it do that." 

I heard another familiar voice closeby, but the strain of trying to place it was too much. I could feel myself slipping again, though I struggled to stay conscious, not wanting to go just yet. I reached out weakly towards her, wanting to tell her about the Fire Point, about... 

Himoto... 


	26. Nijuugo: Earth Memories

Icky poo! Man, this is way overdue for uploading and I'm sorry it's taken so long. Life took a busy turn for me and I kept forgetting to upload after that weekend where ff.net was being a bit of a pain. :P Here we go with chapter 25 and hopefully I'll have another one very soon. :) Enjoy!- TN 

* * *

Upon opening my eyes, I once again found myself in the realm of nothingness, alone, but apparently safe. I did not feel dead, but I did not exactly feel alive and well, either. No doubt, I had slipped into unconsciousness while my fever-wracked body healed itself and a feeling of unease crept into my chest as I realized that time was running out. 

There was no telling what sort of havoc Mad Jack and Ekirei could be wreaking on the planet while I hovered here in limbo, not knowing what was going on outside my own body. 

I pulled myself to my feet, finding that my obi had fallen away somewhere along the way again, leaving my kimono hanging around my shoulders. Once again, my katana was missing, leaving me unarmed and vulnerable, a feeling I was not entirely certain I liked. Without the sword and the magic it held, there was nothing I could do to stop Aku if he decided to attack me within my own mind. 

A cool breeze drifted through the mists, ruffling my hair about my face, neck and shoulders. I shivered and looked around, realizing that I was not alone. There was somebody else here, a powerful presence just like Himoto's, only it was different. 

There was a warmth about it, but also a playfulness. It was almost as if the presence had the innocence of a child about it, a youthful gentleness. Softly, I could hear laughter on the breeze, like the sound of children playing without a care in the world and I relaxed a little, realizing that this presence meant no harm. 

Slowly, I turned around, seeing a woman standing there. Her appearance was very dark and earthy, her skin tanned by the sun, matching her black hair that was wound up ornately. Her eyes shimmered with a mischeviousness that hardly matched her otherwise serious appearance. 

She was dressed in an simple yukata from head to foot in the color orange, save for the dark green obi. Earrings in the shape of leaves dangled from her ears, almost down to her shoulders, and in her hands, she held a simple wooden fan. 

She was as beautiful as Himoto had been, if perhaps in a less-elaborate way, but still beautiful nonetheless. A warm aura surrounded her, full of joyful innocence and happiness, much like what I felt whenever I was in the presence of children. I relaxed, feeling reassured by her appearance. 

Could she be...? 

"Hello." she said softly. 

"Hello. Are you...possibly...." 

"The Elemental of Earth? That would be me. My name is Chame." 

I gave her a formal bow and she chuckled as she returned it before reaching out to take my hands in hers. They were warm and soft, innocently hiding a strength that I could feel radiating from her beneath that playful, childlike exterior. I felt safe near her, as if she could protect me from Aku if he thought to attack, even though she was dead. 

"I knew you'd be coming soon, Jack. A pity we don't have time for a game before I send you on your way. Oh well. Perhaps there will be time for such things later. I suppose you're wondering how I'm here when our little sister told you that we're all dead but for her." she said. 

"Somewhat, but I have already met Fire. Are you here to give me a message as well?" 

"Not so much a message as an explanation and to activate the power of the Earth Point." 

"Very well." 

She knelt down on the ground and I knelt before her, watching her carefully. There was something about her that was so unlike the others. She was so carefree, so innocent and playful like a little child. She would rather play a game with me than be serious, but we both knew that neither of us had time for that. 

"You are everything we had been hoping you'd be. Strong, handsome, pure of heart, everything that's to be expected of your bloodline." she said. 

"Chimitsu said something about my family bloodline being favored by the Elementals. Is that what you mean?" 

"Not only is your family bloodline favored by us, it is protected and nurtured by us. If Himoto has been able to activate the Fire Point and attune it to you, then I shall have no problem attuning the Earth Point to you and the energies within you." 

"She did not seem to have any problems, no." 

"Perfect. Please, give me your hands. There's little time to waste on this before the demon finds out what we have done." 

"Finds out?" 

"Shh. I have no time to tell you. You'll just have to trust me." 

Without hesitation, I gave her my hands, feeling a similar warmth flow through my veins as I had felt when Himoto had done this. A warm, orange glow enveloped our hands and I could feel the power growing within me. Another power that I did not know I had welled up in my heart and my mind, giving me knowledge I never thought possible. 

It was an incredible feeling, almost as if I was one with the Earth itself, yet still a tiny, lone person all in one. Words I did not know I could speak formed in my mind and heart, a long-forgotten language rising again from the depths of history, ready to make itself heard once more. It was almost overwhelming, but I had already been through this once and was ready for such a powerful feeling running through my body. 

"Oh yes...you are indeed the one. You can restore everything to order from chaos." she said, slowly withdrawing her hands. 

"The one?" 

"Yes. The one of your family's bloodline with the purest of hearts. You are the one that the demon can never break, never corrupt, no matter how hard he may try." 

"Aku?" 

"Yes, him. I see you've already seen his true form." 

"His true form?" 

"Yes. The form that you know him to have is just a shapeshift. No shadow demon is _that_ strong, not by a long shot." 

"Then why does he have that form?" 

"It's just a shift, a cover to terrorize the people of this world. If they saw his true form, they wouldn't be as frightened of him. A powerful, shapeshifting shadow demon is more terrifying than his true Elemental form, no?" 

I paused, thinking back to the form I had seen in my vision and in Himoto's memories. It was true that he was less intimidating in that form than in his usual demon form, so it did make sense that the people were easier to rule so long as he had the form of a shadow demon about him. They were more terrified of this supernatural being's wrath and such fear would not be accomplished if he looked like any other human male. 

Even so, he still carried that aura about him. I had to wonder why I had not seen it before, that powerful aura around him that was so similar to that of an Elemental's. Of course, that was before I had even _known_ of the Elementals and had no aura to compare his with. Slowly, it was all starting to make sense. 

"I would suppose so. The people here would rather run from a terrifying demon than another person like themselves." I said. 

"Indeed. That's why Aku keeps that form. Shapeshifting isn't his only power, though." 

"He has more?" 

"Oh yes. A great deal more." 

"In addition to his shapeshifting and the teleportation power that is standard with each Elemental, he carries greater power as the Darkness Elemental, the opposite of Light. That's why the five of us can't do a thing, why it all rests in your hands." 

"Elemental Law. Yes, Chimitsu explained this." 

"But she did not have time to tell you every power he has that we know of." 

I sat back, realizing that it was true. Still, she had managed to tell me some of his abilities. Frightening abilities that explained much of what had happened to me since my arrival here in this hellish future. 

"Not all of them, but she explained a few." I said. 

She paused, gazing at me, before smiling. Clearly, this pleased her, making her job much easier, having less to tell me than she would have. 

"Ahhh, there was time for some of his minor powers. That makes my job a tiny bit easier. Yes, she explained his ability to slip in and out of shadows and to give life to a person's dark side, but he has more than that, much more." she said. 

"The timewarp spell?" 

"No. That wasn't part of his powers, although it seems he has learned it illegally. He can give life to shadows, sending them out in the form of minions, bounty hunters, whatever he chooses. So long as there are shadows, there will always be something he can breathe life and his will into. He can also send out parts of himself, pieces of darkness from his very soul and can place them into inanimate objects or create bodies with them. All of these things can be destroyed with your blade, but he knows of the purity that you hold and has given these things the power and knowledge that he holds, making them strong enemies that will be difficult to beat." 

"Difficult, but not impossible." 

She smiled a bit and took my hands, looking them over. She studied them carefully, running her fingers over the palms and knuckles and up to my wrist, not minding the roughness in the least. I watched her for a moment before daring to look at her face, being absorbed into the warm chocolate eyes, seeing a distant sadness in them behind the genki[1] expression she wore. 

"Ah, yes, the fighting spirit of the Minamoto clan. I expected nothing less from you. But...our time is up. There is nothing more I can tell you without jeopardizing everything." she said. 

"But..." 

She reached up and lightly pressed her soft fingertips to my lips, halting the sentence before I had a chance to finish it. She still smiled, even though I could see that she was fighting to keep the tears from welling up in her eyes or spilling down her cheeks. I did not understand why she was so sad except that she had to leave, although I had a feeling that was not quite the case. 

"Yes. You will see my memories as well. Chimitsu doesn't know how we died, nor does she need to know. Her heart is already heavily burdened with the sorrow of knowing that she could not help us." she said. 

"Then I will bear the burden for her." 

She looked at me with another almost sad expression in her eyes before she took my hands again, pressing her palms flat against my own. Once again, a strong burst of power rushed through my body, keeping me from pulling away. It was just as intense as it had been when Himoto had done this, but I was ready this time and closed my eyes tight, holding on tightly as our hearts became one, allowing myself to be drawn within the depths of her memories... 

* * *

As my eyes snapped open, I found myself in a simple mountaintop castle in a garden filled with trees, grasses, and flowers. Water ran from a small falls and down along an aqueduct to the garden, flowing through it before flowing off the side of the castle wall. It was then that I realized that this castle had been built into the mountain itself. 

This castle was very much in tune with nature, melding so perfectly with it that you almost did not know that there was even a castle structure there. I looked around, trying to find Chame. Silently, I walked towards the water, stepping into the stream, but finding that I was not at all wet when I climbed out on the other side. Curious. 

At each corner of the castle, there stood a dragon statue in some sort of orange stone, shining with the fading sunlight. It was an absolutely breathtaking sight to behold, as if all of Nature itself had built this place for its mistress and guardian. I felt as if I could stay here forever in this natural sanctuary, a rare jewel in such a modern and mechanized world. 

It was then that I finally saw her standing on the edge of the castle in a short kimono that came to about mid thigh, her hair down and flowing free, kept back out of her face by a simple orange bow. She looked almost sad, not as playful and cheery as when I had met her a few moments ago. My heart ached to see her like that and I walked over to put a hand on her shoulder in comfort, only to watch it pass right through her. 

Of course, just like the last time, this was a memory and she could not see me any more than I could stop what was about to happen, much to my dismay and frustration. 

Slowly, she turned, looking in my direction, almost straight through me. 

"You've finally come. It's about time. I've been waiting." she said. 

I turned around, seeing Aku standing there in his Elemental form, bisento in his hands at ready. This time, his hair was completely down, the tips just barely brushing the floor, his black eyes holding a dark emptiness to them as he looked at her. He was no less frightening than the last time I had seen him and a part of me was relieved that he could not see me, either. 

"Then you know what I am here for, Earth Elemental." he said. 

"Of course." 

"Hand over the Earth Point, then." 

"I can't. You're too late, Aku. It's gone, along with the Fire Point to its next destination." 

"I see. Then you know what I must do now." 

"Death? Of course. I must die here today if things are to be restored. If I don't die at your hand, then the path to rebirth will never be taken." 

She closed her eyes and stood there, the wind ruffling her hair and robes, looking at peace with herself, her surroundings, and her destiny. I looked to Aku, then to her, wondering if she was going to fight him or let him take her life. She must have known, just as I and Aku had to know, that she could not destroy him. 

I watched her carefully, seeing her look so meditative, yet I could feel an aura of great power rising in the area. For a moment, I wondered what it was she was going to try to do. Suddenly, a bo staff made of fresh hardwood appeared in her hands and she went into a fighting stance. 

Of course...the earth itself was lending her its power to defend herself, even if it was ultimately futile. 

I cannot say I wanted her to fight right then, knowing in my heart before the battle even began what the outcome was going to be. She was going to die, likely as cruelly as Himoto had, and it was not so much watching her die, but knowing that Aku had done it without regret or hint of conscience, simply doing what he needed to do to achieve his goal. If I could have stopped this battle, I would have, but I knew, with a great deal of frustration in my heart, I could not. 

Aku's expression remained emotionless as he readied his bisento, coldly studying his opponent. I watched as they circled each other in the dirt, wondering, like the last time, who was going to attack first. This time, however, it was Aku, lunging in to strike her down with his bisento. 

Chame dropped onto her back, causing him to overextend his strike, and used her bo and her feet to toss him up into the air. Backwards he went until he crashed into a flowerbed, covered from hed to foot in multicolored petals of all shapes and sizes, a sight I would have laughed at if not for the seriousness of the overall situation. Aku covered in pinks, blues, yellows, and oranges, indeed. 

He rose and stood ready again before making another charge at the defending Elemental. I tensed, wanting to leap in and attack, but knew that I would pass right through him if I tried. Somehow, it would not have mattered, not when my katana was not at my side, leaving me without the one thing I had that could hurt him. Damnit all, anyways! 

She blocked and caught her bo around his bisento before flipping him to the ground with a twist of her shoulders and hips, an impressive move given her tiny size. However, before she could back away or make another attack, his heavy, booted foot swung up, catching her in the chin and knocking her over. I gasped and took a step forward to see if she was all right before realizing that she would be fine and that once again, I was but a spirit here and could do nothing to help her in any way. 

I watched frustratedly as she rolled out of the way of his next strike and got to her feet, wiping at her mouth. 

"You've improved a bit there, Aku." she said. 

"Actually, I have improved quite a bit, but thank you anyways." 

They charged at each other again, Aku going for a low strike towards her knees, Chame leaping up and kicking him hard in the back of the head, loud enough to make a sharp cracking noise. I winced as he fell forward onto the pavement, watching as Chame came down with a stabbing motion with her bo. At the last second, he rolled away and swung up with his bisento, the blade tearing across her chest. 

I stood there, watching with my hands clenched tightly at my sides, wishing desperately that I could help her fight him, painfully knowing that I could not. If I had only known about this when it had happened, then perhaps I could have prevented this cruel fate from befalling the beautiful Earth Elemental. 

She screamed in pain and swung up with her leg, belting him hard in the face and backing him across the pavement. Over and over again, the two weapons met and I could only watch helplessly as they backed into the stream and out the other side again, soaking wet. Chame swung around and slammed one end of her bo into his chest, which would have snapped the sternum of a mortal, but only backed him up even further. 

I hurried through the stream and to the other side, panic rising in my chest as his bisento came down, snapping her bo in half. She used the broken ends like swords, blocking his next few strikes until the ends were useless. I swallowed hard as I watched him ready himself for the final strike, realizing that the fight was over as quickly as it had begun. 

But Chame had an ace up her sleeve that neither of us was expecting. 

Instead of letting him finish her off, she held up her hands and several vines shot from the surrounding flora, wrapping themselves around Aku's body. 

The bisento fell from his hands to the pavement as the vines bound him tighter and tighter. She knew she was going to die, so why was it that she was fighting so hard to keep him at bay? I could not understand why she fought him so hard unless it was simply a matter of dying in battle with honor. I could understand wanting to go down fighting, being samurai as I was. 

"You are only wasting your time, little Elemental. You know you cannot possibly hurt me, much less kill me." he said, struggling against the vines. 

"I know, but this is something I simply must do." 

"You are only prolonging the inevitable." 

"Actually, Aku, you're the one prolonging the inevitable, but do as you must. It won't change a thing." 

He struggled a bit before the vines all wilted and crumbled to dust, much to my and Chame's shock. She took a step back and attempted to summon more vines, only to have those die off as well. A third attempt was halted and then reversed upon her, Aku's magic causing her own attack to turn against her. I could only watch as the vines snaked around her body, lifting her into the air. 

I reached to my hip for my katana, only to remember that it was not there. Damn. I could not do anything without it and nothing with it. This was all a memory. I had to keep in mind that it was nothing but a memory, a thing of the past, and there was nothing I could do to change it. 

Yet the playful Elemental was more clever than I had given her credit for. Quickly, she recanted the spell and the vines dropped her, retreating quickly away back into the ground. She fell hard and got to her knees painfully, too slowly to avoid Aku's next attack. 

I dashed forward in another attempt to warn her that Aku was attacking, frustration rising in my chest as I knew that once again, it was futile for me to try. I simply could not help it, the instinct to help those rising up to fight against Aku too strong for me to ignore. I did not care in that moment that this was all a memory that would play out whether I wanted it to or not, I simply wanted to stop Chame's death. 

In a flash, Aku had his bisento in his hands with the handle pressed against her throat, choking her. She reached up and grabbed ahold, trying to break free, but he was too strong for her. My breath caught in my throat as I watched helplessly, knowing that she was going to die very quickly now. 

No doubt, she knew it as well. 

"Go ahead, Aku. Finish it. You've already once broken Elemental Law and set things off balance. Might as well finish the job because you know you can't stop what you've gone and started. Go ahead and try, but you'll NEVER get the Star of the Elements." she said. 

With a flick of his wrists, he snapped her neck with a crack loud enough to make me wince. He pulled his bisento away and she toppled down to the ground facedown amongst the flowers. He stood and straightened, squaring his shoulders as he looked down at her coldly. 

"We shall see." he said, disappearing. 

I walked through the flowers and knelt down next to the fallen Earth Elemental, reaching down to lightly brush away a few strands of hair as tears of sadness and frustration burned beneath my eyelids. The wind passed through the garden, cold and emotionless, gently pulling a white rose from its broken stem, carrying it until it landed on Chame's back. Even nature itself was mourning its fallen protector. 

Even as I knelt there, all I could think to myself was why? Why did she and Himoto have to meet such cruel ends at Aku's hands? Was it because they were protecting the Elemental Points and the only thing that stood between Aku and possessing them? Or...was it...something more? 

"Chame..." I said quietly, my voice almost breaking. 

I bowed my head, letting the tears quietly spill from my eyes, dropping down onto Chame and the lone white rose resting on her back. I had long considered it ignominious to allow myself to hate anyone, even Aku and Mad Jack, but Aku was pushing my limits of tolerance. To kill two women for the sake of the magical talismans they held, all for the sake of increasing his already immense powers... 

A split-second later, a flash of light burst from the white rose, momentarily blinding me. I could feel myself being pulled away from the castle and struggled to stay put, even though I knew it was futile. Two Elementals down, two to go, and I was still so very weak... 

* * *

Slowly, my eyes cracked open again, and this time I could see Chimitsu in full, holding up the Star of the Elements. Both the Fire and Earth Points were glowing red and orange, respectively, and she was looking at them in puzzlement. Strange, indeed, but I was beginning to understand what was happening to the amulet and myself. 

"Now the Earth Point's gone all orange." she said. 

"Aye. First the Fire Point, now this one...what d'you s'pose is causin' it?" 

"I don't know...the Elemental Points aren't supposed to activate like this." 

"What do you mean, lass?" 

"They can't activate...because my sisters are dead. We're supposed to be alive to activate the powers held by the five Points." 

I tried again to move, only able to slide my arm off my chest and to the soft bed. Neither of them seemed to notice, both apparently transfixed by the glow emanating from the Star of the Elements. I wanted to say something, to get their attention, but I found that I could not, too weak to move. If only I could get enough breath in my lungs... 

"Chame..." I forced out, my voice sounding hoarse. 

Chimitsu turned towards me, her eyes widening when she saw that I was awake, but I could already feel myself slipping away again. My eyes briefly met hers, seeing the shock in them before they slid closed. Once more I found myself drifting in the haze of my mind, awaiting the arrival of the next Elemental and her accompanying memories. 

* * *

_[1] genki_: cheerful, lively 


	27. Nijuuroku: Water Memories

Again I found myself in the haze of dreams, half wondering when I would stop slipping in and out of consciousness. She had to be extremely worried about me when it was clear that she could not heal the effects of Ekirei's last strike, the blue orb that had made me so ill. Apparently her only limitation was that she could not heal sickness, only injury. 

That was an unsettling thought and I chose to push it aside for the moment and focus on finding the next Elemental amongst the mists. 

I sighed and pulled myself into seiza, sitting quietly in a meditative position as I waited, knowing that impatience would get me nowhere. Light breezes occasionally would sweep around my body, fluttering my loose kimono and hair, making the place incredibly calming and oddly cool. It was easy to relax in such serene silence and made the wait for the next Elemental less strenuous on my mind. 

Suddenly, I became aware of another's presense nearby, feeling the hair on the back of my neck stand up. She had come at last, but which of the two remaining Elementals was it? I stayed quiet for the moment, trying to sense who it was, but I found that I could not, much to my surprise. 

Opening my eyes, I was momentarily shocked to see her kneeling in a similar meditative position before me. Her elaborate kimono was in a sapphire blue and bore sea turtles embroidered in silver. Ice blue eyes that matched ice-colored hair shimmered up at me from a lightly tanned face. 

Elaborate hair ornaments that kept her hair up in a style I had seen women of my home time wear lightly chimed when she moved, the silver shimmering like sunlight dancing off the surface of a pond. There was a calming aura about her, like the feeling one gets when relaxing in a stream or a bath. Water. It was the Water Elemental who had come to see me. 

Somehow, I was not entirely surprised that it was the Water Elemental who had come. 

"Hello, Jack." she said softly. 

I was momentarily speechless. She was supernaturally beautiful, as all the Elementals appeared to be. It took me a moment to remember my manners and I quietly cleared my throat, averting my gaze to keep from staring so rudely. 

"Hello. You are the Water Elemental?" I asked. 

"That I am. Asagi is the name. I sensed your meditative energies and came as quickly as possible." 

"I hope I have not been keeping you waiting." 

"Not at all. When you're dead, you have plenty of time to wait." 

She chuckled and I flushed a little in embarrassment at asking such a silly question. Of course she had plenty of time to wait for me to arrive. 

"Of course. I meant no disrespect." I said. 

"Of course you didn't. It's quite all right. Well, let's have a look at you. Would you mind sliding your kimono off your shoulders?" 

I hesitated, not used to such requests from proper women. I was not entirely comfortable with the idea of a woman eyeing me up like a hunk of meat at the market, which was exactly what I was starting to feel like. No doubt, my face had turned several shades of red at that point. 

"Uhm..." I began, trying to figure out how to politely state my discomfort. 

"Oh, come now. There's no need to be shy. I've lived for millions of years; you aren't the first man I've seen half or completely naked. I need to be able to clearly reach your heart to do this and clothing gets in the way. I won't take long, I promise." 

With a soft sigh, I slid the kimono down from my shoulders, keeping it around my waist as I knelt there, still uncomfortable even though I was wearing my fundoshi and she had assured me that this was not the first time she had seen a man in any form of nudity. She moved around behind me and a moment later, I heard her take in a slow breath. I tensed a little, wondering what could have possibly disturbed her. 

"What is it?" I asked. 

"This tattooed mon...." 

I held back a shiver as her cool fingertips traced the tattoo that was on my right shoulderblade. 

"What about it?" I asked, knowing what she meant. 

"Your family crest. Why did you have it tattooed here?" 

"So I would never forget who I am, who I fight for." 

"I see. It suits you quite well." 

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence before I felt her cool hands upon both shoulderblades. I could feel a soothing coolness wash over me, calming and relaxing me almost to the point of where I wanted to sleep. It was so comforting that I hardly felt her power reach my heart and slip within the depths of my unresisting mind. 

After a few moments, she withdrew, and it took a few more moments after that for her power to completely disappear. In that time, she moved back to my front, gazing into my eyes, a contemplative expression on her face. When I felt like moving again, I slowly drew my kimono back up over my shoulders, still a bit uncomfortable at my state of undress as I slipped my arms back through the sleeves. 

"I am most impressed, Jack Minamoto. Never have I met a warrior, of your clan or any other, with a heart as pure as yours." she said. 

"I do not understand. You needed to do all that to see into my heart?" 

"Not just see your heart. That was to invoke the Water Point's power within you. Now I must see what else we have to work with here. Let me see your hands." 

I slowly held them out to her, finding her to be most unusual compared to the other two Elementals that had visited me so far. She was acting like a very odd fortuneteller, for I had never heard of anyone looking into one's heart through the back like that before. Still, I dared not question an Elemental, the thought of angering her unnerving me. Instead, I simply stayed quiet as she studied my hands carefully, her soft fingers tracing every line, scar, and callus. 

"What do you see?" I hesitantly asked after a few moments. 

"I have already seen the purity of your heart, but your hands are a warrior's hands, always have been, even before your training. You were meant to do this, to carry your family's katana through history against the demon." 

"What are you saying?" 

"That this is and always was your destiny. Cruel as it is sometimes, you were meant to be thrown through time, to restore balance to the Elemental Circle by destroying the demon. Aku's gotten too big for his britches and we failed to see it. I suppose we all hoped that this time, the fourth Dark Elemental would behave himself and stick to his duties." 

"Too much to ask of evil." 

She laughed softly and nodded, her hair ornaments chiming musically with her movements. Everything about her was so calm and peaceful that I could not help but smile and laugh a bit myself. 

"Indeed. Still, this is your destiny. It was meant for you because of who you are." she said. 

"Who I am?" 

"Yes. I always knew your family was of a pure bloodline, but you bear the purest heart of them all because of your Elemental potential." 

"Elemental potential?" 

"Yes. Each male firstborn of your family line is destined to wield the power of that mystical blade, but only one is ever meant to use its full power. A power that can only be brought about by the Elementals themselves. You see, Jack, you may be a mere mortal, but you are as close to a true Elemental as one can get." 

This was an unexpected revelation, one that momentarily caught me off guard. I had not expected to find out that I was meant to control the Star of the Elements because I was as close to an Elemental as a mortal could be. I had thought there were simply mortals...and Elementals, and did not understand how I could be that close to a true Elemental. 

"How so?" I asked. 

"Once a millennia, there is one who is born with a full balance of the Elements within his spirit. A perfect, ultimate balance that cannot be found anywhere else. You, dear samurai, are the chosen one for this millennia." 

"But I am thousands of years away from my home time. How is it that one was not found between my departure and now?" 

"Because you never perished and were never reborn. All those before you who had the power to finish the demon once and for all never had the complete purity and will that you have to finish the job. Yes, your father and your ancestors could fight him, seal him away, but they could not kill him. Now, the chosen one has been reborn inside your family line, in _you_...and it is your destiny, your _duty_...to destroy Aku." 

I lowered my head and looked down at my hands when she released them, clenching them in my lap. I knew all this. I had known it from the start when I had arrived in this future that if I ever wanted to free the people here, return home, and free my people in the past, I would have to destroy Aku and his minions. 

It was not an easy job, but it was my destiny, as protecting not only the Wind Point, but the amulet itself, was Chimitsu's. 

My eyes snapped open as I realized that there was something I had to ask. I remembered how battered I had found Chimitsu when we first met and how many times Aku had tried to kill her. Dangerous traps that would have taken any ordinary mortal, but had failed to take her. 

And even though he had failed to take Chimitsu, he had not failed to bring down her sisters. Why? They were all five Elementals with the same amount of power and immortality. 

"Asagi-san, I must ask you something." I said. 

"Yes?" 

"If Aku was able to kill the four of you, why was it that he could not kill Chimitsu? Why did he try to take her wings when he could have taken her life?" 

Asagi watched me for a moment, her eyes shimmering with tears for a moment before she blinked them away. I felt a momentary regret in asking her such a painful question, but it was not making any sense to me. Aku should not have had so much trouble in killing Chimitsu if he was able to kill her four sisters. 

"Because he can't kill her so long as she's an Elemental." she said. 

"I do not understand. As long as she is an Elemental?" 

"Yes. She's the only one of us who can become human when she loses her wings. The rest of us can't become human like that. Once she loses her wings, she becomes mortal and is left wide open for Aku to take her life if he sees fit." 

Cold revelation washed over my body as I realized that this was why he had tried to take her wings and why Ekirei and Mad Jack were so confident in their victory when she lost them earlier. They knew that Aku could kill her in mortal form and take the Star of the Elements for themselves. It was not just to steal her powers, but so that they could kill her as well, only they had not counted on her finding a way to regain that very power. 

"By the gods...so that is why he tried to rip her wings off, why she was so battered when I found her. He was not trying to take her power so he could steal the Star from a defenseless human, he was trying to kill her!" I cried. 

"Yes. He may have been able to kill the four of us, but as long as Chimitsu has her wings, he can't do a thing to take her life. He must first take her wings if he wants to kill her. That's why we chose her to protect the Star of the Elements until she could get it to you. Now you, Jack, must make sure that he doesn't take her wings or he will make his move to kill her and take the Star before you are able to use it." 

I bowed my head again, clenching my hands tightly around the folds of my kimono in frustration, knowing that I had come close to failing once before. It was entirely possible that she could fall while I was here in the depths of my mind, unable to defend her. I hated feeling so damn helpless when there were people out there who needed me to fight when they could not. 

Slowly, I looked up at her, meeting those icy cold eyes and seeing a distant sympathy in them. She knew how much this hurt me to watch them die when I wanted to be out there fighting Aku. No doubt, she wanted to be out there fighting as well, only she could not do anything about it. 

"Long have we waited for this. The one chosen by the Elements to restore balance to the Elemental Circle and he is here in my presense. I almost wish that I had seen you while I was alive, but there is no time for regrets now. We must hurry. There is one last thing I must do." she said. 

"Your memories." 

"Yes. See my memories and learn of Aku's abilities without him even knowing it." 

She took my hands and pressed her palms against my own. Again, I felt a surge of power rush through me, only it did not floor me as it had with Chame and Himoto, much to my surprise. Instead, it flowed through me calmly like a stream, gently washing me away into the depths of Asagi's memories. 

* * *

As the mists cleared, I found myself atop a snow covered mountain standing before an icy castle that appeared to be made entirely of ice. The mountain winds whipped about my body, yet I was not cold as I should have been. Curious. 

Of course, this was yet another memory and I was but a ghost here. I would not be feeling anything while here, watching Asagi's memories. 

I made my way up the steps to where blue-flamed torches were lit, illuminating everything with a pale, eerily frosty glow. I tried to take one, only to find that I could not, my hand passing right through it. I sighed a little and made my way to the doors, finding that I could not open them, but could still pass through them. 

If it had not been for the fact that I was in a dire situation, I would have found this to be an intriguing experience. Instead, I found the whole inability to touch anything irritating as hell, unable to perform a task as simple as opening a door. This was getting very, very old indeed. 

Inside, it had to be a bit warmer, but not by much. Everything was cold, lonely, solitary in appearance. The decor was entirely crystalline, from the chandeliers to glass tables, everything. I took a closer look at the castle walls and found that they had not been made out of ice, but a blue stone that had been polished until it held an icy appearance. 

Paintings that hung on the wall depicted wintry scenes as Chimitsu's home had depicted a number of sky scenes. It was beautiful here, in an icy-cold sort of way. It was almost a shame that I did not have time to further admire the icy beauty of Asagi's home. 

I walked over to a window, peering out to see nothing but fluffy white clouds rolling about with the air currents. So high up, far above the ground and everything else, no wonder it was so cold and lonely here. That thought was enough to send a shiver through my spiritual body, thinking about how Asagi could not have had many visitors besides her sisters here. 

Not wanting to think about the lonely solitude of Asagi's home any longer, I turned and headed down a long corridor until I came to a pair of doors that looked heavy. They were made of the same pale blue stone as the rest of the castle, only more ornately carved and adorned with silver handles. I did not even bother trying to open them this time, simply walking through to find myself in a very large room that reminded me of a temple. 

The decor here was simple, with one large winterscape tapestry hung around the walls. The only light came through a crystalline skylight above the center of the room, casting an eerie glow about the room. On the floor was a kanji that I recognized as "ice" and across the room was an altar made of the same stone, as the castle itself, with two large candles at each end. 

It was breathtaking in its simplicity and elegance. Never before had I seen a temple that was so beautiful before. As I looked around, I had a feeling that no mortal ever had seen such simple, elegant beauty as this before. 

And then I saw her. 

There, kneeling in seiza position before the altar in the same blue and silver kimono that I had met her in, was Asagi, looking as elegant and serene as ever. I walked down towards her, seeing her hold up a partially completed Star of the Elements, with the Fire Point, Earth Point, and Water Point all joined together. She smiled faintly as the amulet spun about on the silver chain, a wistful sadness in her pale blue eyes as she watched it spin. 

A part of me wanted to go to her, tell her I was there and comfort her, but again, much to my frustration, I could not. It was just not at all fair that she and her sisters had to suffer so at Aku's hands for the sake of protecting that amulet, alone in their final moments. If only they had someone there to comfort them moments before Aku had come for them, to tell them everything would somehow turn out all right, even though I had a hard time believing such a thing myself at that moment. 

"It's time for you to go, old friend. Hurry along to Hirame and your destiny with the samurai before the demon finds you." she said quietly. 

In a brief flash of light, it disappeared and she smiled faintly before returning to her meditative posture. I watched her quietly, wondering if that was what had happened. Had each Elemental passed their Point along as soon as they had joined it to the others before Aku arrived? I was beginning to understand now, what they had done at the cost of their own lives. Only Chimitsu had escaped such a fate to give the completed amulet to me and that had been just barely. 

I could only watch helplessly as Asagi knelt there, her calming aura filling the room. She was waiting for someone and I knew that someone had to be Aku. It was clear that they all had known he was coming and had thusly sent their Point on its way to the next Elemental. She was simply sitting there, calmly awaiting her executioner, at peace with herself and her destiny, cruel as it was. 

Suddenly, the doors behind me swung open with a bang, revealing Aku in his Elemental form, his long hair fluttering wildly behind him. Asagi hardly looked up at his loud entrance, remaining absolutely still and quiet while I stood there, tensed, knowing what was going to happen now. Aku was quite furious and it showed in his rapidly darkening aura that contrasted Asagi's cool, calming one. 

"Asagi!" he roared, loud enough to rattle the windows of the skylights above. 

She chuckled softly and slowly stood, turning to face him, hardly bothered by his appearance. An unearthly wind ruffled Aku's hair, yet did not touch her as she smoothed out her kimono and I wondered how she could possibly be so calm at a time like this. Aku's aura continued to darken and it was clear that her cool serenity was ruffling him. 

"Aku. I see that you have arrived." she said. 

"Indeed I have. You know what I have come here for." 

Again she chuckled, much to his dismay. Despite my own growing apprehension, I could tell that Aku was not liking her calm demeanor. He fed on fear, anger, and aggression and she was clearly not giving it to him like the previous two had. 

"Sorry to say, dear Aku, you're already too late, just like the previous two times. You must be quicker than that to capture the Star of the Elements and its power." she said. 

"Damn you and your sisters. No matter. I will still get that amulet before it ever sees the samurai's hands." 

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, demon." 

This seemed to enrage him even more and he gripped the handle of his bisento so tightly that his knuckles had turned white, almost opaque. As I watched his pale knuckles turn an even paler shade against the dark handle of the bisento, I suddenly realized why he was so desperate to get his hands on the Star of the Elements before I did. It all made sense now that I saw him so ruffled and disturbed by Asagi's serene appearance. 

He was afraid of me. 

He knew as well as I did that the sword and the Star were powerful apart, but only together could they be used to their full potential to destroy him once and for all. I alone held the sword and he had been unable to take it from me no matter how hard he tried, but he feared not just the magical relics themselves, but what would happen if they both fell into my hands. I had already proved myself a formidable enemy to him with just the sword in my hands, no doubt it frightened him to the core at the thought of my holding both the sword and the Star to use against him. 

Somehow, despite the cold realization that I was going to watch Asagi die in a few short moments, knowing that Aku was scared to death of my gaining control of the Star was a small comfort to me. 

"Your interference is of little consequence to me, Asagi. Already two of your sisters are dead at my hands and you will soon join them." he said. 

"If you wish to kill me, then I suggest you get it over with. I know that I cannot harm you, so fighting you would only be an exercise in futility." 

I saw a small tremor in Aku's muscles, his grip momentarily loosening around the bisento he held. He was taken aback by her words and so was I for that matter. Himoto and Chame had gone down fighting, why was Asagi standing there and letting him do what he wanted with her? 

"How is it that you can be so calm when you are clearly standing moments away from death?" he asked. 

"Because I have prepared myself for the end. I felt Himoto and Chame's deaths and knew all along that you were the cause of both. It was only natural that you would come after me next." 

"Indeed. But your interference is truly useless. I will follow the Star of the Elements to Hirame, then to Chimitsu, and then it will be mine." 

"The spirits of the universe tell me otherwise, Aku." 

I looked between the two, first to Asagi to see her standing tall, proud, and calm in the face of her executioner. Then I turned to Aku, seeing him standing there with his grip tight around the handle of the bisento again, his knuckles whiter than the first time as his anger rose. The contrast was so unbelievable that I found myself frozen in place, too shocked at the difference in their attitudes to do anything but watch. 

"They dare to speak against me?!" he roared. 

"No, but they do dare to speak the truth. A truth that which even you cannot stop." 

"We shall see. Your sisters will soon join you and I will put the samurai in his grave with my own two hands." 

Aku was so furious at that point that if it was at all possible for him to snap the bisento in his hands, he would have. Had I been standing there for real instead of as a spirit in Asagi's memories, I would have been terrified to see him so full of hateful rage. Asagi, however, remained calm, not once moving from where she stood. 

"You may destroy myself and my sisters, but you will never reach the white warrior. He has something that not even you can undo with all your black magic and twisted power. Do what you will with me, Aku, but your lust for ultimate power will be your undoing. Ultimate power corrupts ultimately, after all." she said, quietly taunting him. 

"Hnf! I think I shall be the first to prove that old saying wrong. You are a fool, Asagi, to not fear your own death." 

"You are the fool, Aku, to fear something so natural. Everything comes to an end sometime, even you, demon, and when your end comes, you will be cowering like the soulless being you are, afraid of losing your power." 

"With the end, you, too, lose your power. Why is it that you are not afraid like you should be?" 

I almost laughed at the tone I heard in his voice. He was very angry to see that he had not ruffled Asagi in all this time or drove her to fight as Chame and Himoto had. Clearly, Asagi had wanted this and had the upper hand, at least as far as words and taunting went. 

"Because with death, there is always hope in rebirth. Death is mearly the end of one cycle, and the beginning of the next." she said. 

This seemed to anger him more than anything else she had said so far and instantly, I could feel his power surging throughout the small temple. I tensed as it almost overpowered Asagi's calming aura, sending cold chills down my spine. Slowly, he lifted his bisento, moving it into a ready position. 

Another unearthly wind tore through the small temple and the aura around him darkened. Any light that came towards it was immediately plunged into darkness, eventually taking the candlelight with it, chilling me to the bone with its immense evil power. Looking over, I saw that Asagi seemed unruffled by this display, standing tall and calm, waiting for her end with her hands tucked into the sleeves over her kimono, her eyes closed. 

Panic rose in my chest as I looked between the two, knowing that I was powerless to stop the events from unfolding, wondering why Asagi just stood there instead of going down fighting. It did not make any sense! 

Suddenly, all the darkness pooled together into his bisento, turning the blade into a deep purplish black color, shimmering like polished onyx and taking all light that touched it inside. The light had returned to the rest of the room, yet my heart pounded in my chest at the sight of that evil blade. Never before, in all my years of training and fighting as a samurai, had I felt such a raw, violent, evil fighting aura. 

I realized then why Chimitsu's sisters were coming to me while I was unconscious in spirit form. I was not ready to fight him, not by a long shot, not while he was in his Elemental form. I needed to know what they knew before I could have any chance in fighting him to the death successfully. 

He raised it over his head and behind himself, gathering all his power to strike her down in one final blow. Asagi stood there quietly, serenely, her ice blue eyes raising up to meet his cold, empty, black ones. I stayed frozen in place, realizing that this was the end and she was ready for it, not about to fight or delay it any longer. 

In one quick downward strike, he flung a blast of energy made entirely out of dark shadows at her with the force of a hurricane. It was so powerful that I instinctively raised my arms to protect myself, even though I knew it could not hurt me. My heart pounded wildly in my chest as I watched it streak towards her, each second bringing her closer to her end. 

It likely only took a couple seconds to reach her, but it seemed as if it was moving agonizingly slow. Inch by inch it closed in, Asagi watching it calmly, waiting for it to strike her down while I stood there, heart pounding in my chest, helpless to stop it. The moment it struck her, the blast of shadow enveloped her and then imploded for a second before it exploded outward, blasting through the room with such force that the skylight shattered into tiny pieces. 

I turned away and kept my hands before my face, instinctively protecting myself from the flying glass. I knew, without even having to look to where Asagi was standing, that there was no possible way that even an Elemental such as herself could have survived such an attack. Cold, raw anger and shock rose in my chest as I realized that Aku had just struck down an unarmed woman without any shred of honor to his name. He may have worn samurai armor, but he perverted everything a samurai like myself stood for. 

When the black mists had cleared, I saw that she was gone and Aku's power aura had dwindled down to normal, leaving me standing there shaking with a stunned rage building in my chest. He had crossed the line and I felt myself beginning to hate him more and more for what he had done to his fellow Elementals. Asagi was gone and a second later, so was he. 

I stared at the spot where the gentle Water Elemental had been in horror, swallowing hard, wondering how and when Aku could have attained such raw power. I had encountered many magics before, but never had I seen anything so terrifyingly destructive as what I had just witnessed. I felt downright sick to know that Aku had used that power to coldly strike down his fellow Elemental, an unarmed woman, without so much as batting an eye. 

Slowly, I walked over to where Asagi had been, kneeling down to find a small scorch mark in the icy stone floor. The only thing remaining of her dying essense was a small wisp of ice cold, blue-white mist in the air above that spot. It hovered there before me, as if to say goodbye, and then, it was gone, leaving me standing alone there in the solitude of her temple. 

Tears rolled quietly down my cheeks as I bowed my head, squeezing my eyes shut in a vain attempt to shut out the pain of what I had just seen. Damn him. Damn Aku and his heartless disregard for life! 

"Asagi...sayonara..." I said quietly, despite the rage I felt burning in my chest. 

Then, it took me. A blast of icy light that came up from the kanji in the floor, sweeping me away out of her memories and back to my own body. I could only let it take me and the pain I felt, too numb to try and fight it like I had the last two times... 

* * *

Again, I slowly opened my eyes, seeing Chimitsu with her back to me, quietly talking to someone shorter, but I could not see whom. The Star of the Elements hung from her hand, glowing red, orange, and now blue, the colors of the three Elemental Points that I had been given the powers to. I was feeling a bit better, but not by much, my heart aching inside at the memory of seeing three of Chimitsu's sisters die so cruelly at Aku's hands. 

I struggled to sit up, but found that I was still too weak to move, a cold sweat beading on my face. Giving up, I laid back and instead tried to hear what it was that Chimitsu and the other were saying. If only I could figure out why I could not stay conscious long enough to tell Chimitsu what was happening to me... 

"I don't understand. He was awake. He said my sister's name and then slipped away again. Are you sure there's nothing you can do?" she asked. 

"I'm afraid not. There's no known cure for this disease and it looks like he's been struck with it full force. We can do nothing but pray now. If he comes out of it at all, much less intact, he'll have done so only by his own will." 

I could sense that Chimitsu was disappointed, but there was little I could do now. I began to understand why I slipped in and out of consciousness so much when there were clearly people closeby who wanted to and could help me. They could not cure me, I had to do this on my own. 

Once more, I could feel myself slipping away, but I wanted Chimitsu to turn around and see that I was awake. She sounded so heartbroken to hear that there was nothing this other person could do for me except to wait and pray that I woke up again. She needed to see that I was all right, that I was awake again, but I did not have the strength to speak again. 

If only...I could hang on long enough for her to turn around...and see that I was awake... 

Chimitsu....please...look at me.... 


	28. Nijuunana: Metal Memories

Opening my eyes, I found myself standing alone, for what I hoped was the final time, on the astral plane. I did not think I could handle seeing any more cruel deaths once I had met this last Elemental. Asagi's death had nearly been too much for me and I wondered if it was worth seeing them die through their memories, just to activate the Star's power and know what they know. 

There were no mists this time, but I still could not sense anyone else just yet. I sighed softly and waited, knowing that the fourth and last of Chimitsu's sisters would arrive soon enough. Then, once she had arrived, I would have the Metal Point in my possession and finally be able to pull myself back to consciousness so I could fight Aku once more. 

I was hating him more and more now, the horror of helplessly watching Chimitsu's three sisters die at his hands rekindling the same kind of ferocity within my heart that seeing what had become of my people had when I had gone to fight Aku in the past. So much had happened at his hands and every last death, every ounce of suffering, weighed heavily on my heart, knowing that if I had only destroyed him in the past, this would not be happening now. That if I had destroyed him then instead of foolishly gloating over having him at my mercy, Chimitsu's four sisters would be alive right now. 

But there was little I could do about that now, but sit and wait. 

Three Elementals had visited me while I slipped in and out of consciousness, a consciousness induced by Ekirei's last spell, a blue orb that had infected me with some sort of illness. An illness that sounded like it killed more often than not, that I would have to do my best to pull myself out of. I did not know how I would do such a thing, but I had no choice in the matter. If I failed to survive this spell, then that was it. Aku would have won. 

I closed my eyes and sighed quietly before slowly opening them, looking down at my hands. I knew that I could not die if I wanted to attain my goals and somehow, I felt a little bit better. I could not let myself get overconfident in fighting him because he could easily kill me physically, but I was not about to allow that. 

I could feel the determination welling up in me, knowing that I was going to do everything in my power to see to it that I came out of this unconsciousness and regain my strength to fight once more. Yes, I could feel it, burning in my heart and filling my very soul. Still, something held me back and I knew that it was not yet time to return to the fight. 

A cool breeze ruffled my hair and kimono from behind, a breeze that usually signaled the arrival of an Elemental. Relief flooded me as I knew that the wait was over and that the final Elemental was here at last. I would finally be able to find the strength to awaken and tell Chimitsu what was causing the Star of the Elements to react like it was. 

I turned around and immediately took a step back. I had been expecting a woman in an elaborate kimono, but there she was, standing there with her dark hair twisted up into a bun secured with a single, solitary white chopstick. Instead of the customary kimono, she wore full armor as a male samurai of my time would wear, right down to the daisho.[1] 

Her grey eyes were sharp and piercing, moreso than Chimitsu's emerald eyes were, burning right into my very soul as if to judge me worthy of being in her presence. I had known that the last Elemental was of Metal, but I had not been told that she was a samurai warrior like myself. She was quite impressive in appearance, easily matching my height, standing a little taller, actually. 

She would have been a little intimidating if I had not known that she was on my side and not a soldier for Aku. When I thought about it, she reminded me of my father, wearing the same sort of stern, stoic expression on her face. A small pang of homesickness, one I had not felt in some time, burned in my chest as I thought about my father, not wanting to fail him by failing to bring my quest to an end. 

Slowly, the stern look she wore melted away into a smile, bringing a small amount of relief to my chest. 

"Well well. Jack Minamoto." she said, moving forward to hug me. 

I blinked a little, surprised at her less-than-formal greeting. She squeezed me tight enough to force the air from my lungs before she released me. I shifted a little, not expecting such a powerful hug to have come from a woman warrior. It was a hug that I would have expected from my father. 

"Metal." I said. 

"Hirame. The name's Hirame. It's so very good to see you at last." 

"And you, too...I think." 

She chuckled and stepped back, still holding onto my shoulders as she looked me over, much like my father would have. Her grey eyes were showing kindness now instead of a cold sternness of someone whose property had just been trespassed upon, much to my relief. With a smile, she released me completely. 

"You always were strong in spirit, even as a child. Do you remember the dreams you had as a child, Minamoto-san?" she asked. 

"Dreams?" 

I paused, wondering what she meant before thinking back to when I was a small child, after Aku had come and I had gone on my training. I had strange dreams back then, dreams of a woman in the dress of a samurai warrior, riding on the back of a large white tiger. Now that I thought about it, she looked exactly like this woman. 

"You...that was you." I said softly. 

"Yes, that was me. I protected you during all those years while you were traveling. I was always there at your side, whether you knew it or not. I didn't want you to ever feel alone." 

"Somehow, I never did feel as alone whenever I thought of home." 

She chuckled and smiled, seemingly amused at my words. 

"That would be because of me. I took it upon me to guide you and watch over you, make sure nothing became of you on your journey." she said. 

I promptly sat down, stunned upon hearing this. Not only had she been by my side all those years while I was training, but she had been protecting me as well. Had I even needed protecting when I was so far from Japan and Aku's grasp in those years? 

"You...protected me?" I asked. 

"Yes." 

"Why? If I was so far away from Japan...then Aku could not have followed to where I was going, right?" 

She sat down in front of me, removing her swords and setting them down to her right with the handles facing towards her back. She even behaved like a samurai, right down to her posture and the way she carried her blades. 

"Actually, no, he could've followed if he'd wanted to." she said. 

"What?! Impossible!" 

She shook her head and I leaned forward on my knees, balancing on my hands to keep from falling forward face-first into her lap. I had succeeded in completing my training because of the will of the Elementals protecting me from Aku's wrath? 

"Not impossible. He had your father and your mother was of little concern to him, but he'd tried to follow you once he'd imprisoned your father. We sensed his intentions and did everything we could to block him because we knew that as your father's heir, you'd be able to finish him. We didn't expect him to send you forward in time like he did." she said. 

I sat back on my heels, considering this. If it was true that I would not have completed my training without her help, then I was in her debt. A part of me was deeply honored to have invoked an Elemental's help, while the rest of me wondered if I would ever be able to repay the debt. 

"Thank you." I said, still in a bit of shock. 

"You're welcome. But now it seems I must ask something of you, dear warrior." 

"Anything. I owe you my very life." 

Truly, I did owe her my life. She had repeatedly saved it during those twenty years while I had trained around the world, watching over me when I had not known or asked for it or even knew I needed it. My very honor demanded that I did everything in my power to repay her debt, if I ever could. 

"You must free us." she said. 

"Free you? Are you prisoners?" 

"Yes. When Aku killed us, he summoned one of his servants to take our essences and meld them into bodies that have become the Dark Elementals. You have so far only met two of them, Ekirei and your double known as Mad Jack. But there are three others." 

"Three? Why not four?" 

"Because he failed to take enough of my essence. You'll find out soon enough what I mean." 

"And Ekirei and Mad Jack?" 

"He failed to kill Chimitsu, but in his attempt to remove her wings nearly three months ago, he snared enough essence to create Ekirei. Mad Jack, on the other hand, he's more complicated. He's a combination of what's left from the last time that you and he fought, the leftovers of that spell Aku used that was broken when you calmed your emotions, and what he managed to get of my essence." 

"What?!" 

I leaned back on one hand to keep myself from falling over. So that was how it was that he came back as an Elemental, as a mix of a spell that had once held a part of my essence and part of her essence. It sounded so familiar, but how could have Aku done such a thing? 

I looked back to her, shifting back into position as I recalled something Chimitsu had said weeks ago after we had first fought him. 

"Chimitsu knew. She knew that he was an Elemental and that he was a mix of essences." I said, feeling my heart pounding in my chest. 

"Excuse me?" 

"When we first fought him. When I woke up in the Highlands, Chimitsu said that Mad Jack "smelled" like you, that she smelled your essence all over him." 

"I'm not surprised. An Elemental's essence is unique and no matter how mixed it might be with another's- yours in this case, in the form of Mad Jack- another Elemental will always be able to smell it." 

I leaned forward a bit, clenching my hands tightly around the fabric of my kimono, completely stunned that Aku had been able to manage such a thing to bring about my double's existence once more. 

"How? How could he have done such a thing?" I asked. 

"The spell couldn't survive without your emotions, so he took the last bit of my essence and my dying hatred for him and fused it with the spell to create an Elemental Mad Jack. You have enough Elemental potential in you that the fusion of essences was relatively easy for Aku to accomplish. However, it's nothing that can't easily be undone." 

I sat back, still in shock and angry with myself for forgetting what Chimitsu had told me nearly three months ago when he had first attacked. She had known and I had been foolish enough to not think it very significant at the time. Now Hirame was telling me that Aku had stolen their essences in order to create the Dark Elementals when Chimitsu had known months ago. 

I looked over towards her, seeing that she had not moved once from where she sat in seiza position in front of me, her eyes no longer stern or happy, but now full of sadness and concern. What I still did not understand was what it all had to do with me and freeing them. How could I free them when they were dead? 

"What does this all have to do with my freeing you?" I asked. 

"Our essences are trapped in the Dark Elementals. With the exception of Chimitsu, we can't be reborn and the Elemental Circle can't be restored. We need you to destroy these Dark Elementals, free our essences, and set things back on course." 

I considered this, sickened at the thought of Chimitsu's sisters trapped in the bodies of the Dark Elementals as mere essence. Anger burned in my chest as I thought about how the Dark Elementals looked like warped versions of Chimitsu's sisters and realized that if their essence was used and warped by Aku, then it was no wonder they looked so much alike, yet so different. I began to understand that they needed me to destroy those warped versions of themselves so they could be freed and things restored because Chimitsu, under Elemental Law, could not do it herself, especially at risk as she was. 

Honor demanded that I see this through to the end for two reasons. The first was that Hirame had watched over me as a child and I owed it to her to free her and her dead sisters. The second was that since Chimitsu was unable to free or avenge her sisters, it was up to me to do it in her place. No matter what the risk, I could not, in any way, walk away from what these women had asked of me to do. 

"What will become of Chimitsu if she perishes before Ekirei is destroyed?" I asked, realizing that it was possible for her to be killed before our goal was reached. 

"Then she, too, will become as trapped as we are. As long as a little of our essence is a part of a Dark Elemental, we will be trapped. The spell used was strong, it binds us tightly to the others. You have already felt the connection between yourself and Mad Jack and Ekirei has one of her own to Chimitsu. If the rest of us were still alive, we, too, would feel a similar connection to the others that hold our essences." 

I closed my eyes tightly, bowing my head a little, knowing that there was only one thing left to do now. These four women had momentarily escaped their bonds to the Dark Elementals to give me the knowledge they knew and to activate the powers of the four Elemental Points that were now part of the Star of the Elements for my use. I had seen three deaths and was about to see a fourth whether I liked it or not, these women asking me to avenge their deaths in place of their sister. 

I was the only thing standing between Aku, the Dark Elementals, and their freedom back into the Elemental Circle. My sword, the Star of the Elements, the knowledge and memories they had given me were all powerful tools on their own, but like the bow and the arrow, they were all meant to be used together where they were at their strongest power. All were things that Aku had done his best to prevent from falling into my hands, through capture, torture, and murder, only to fail despite his ardent determination to accomplish the opposite. 

But, unlike him, I was fighting for someone other than myself and I was determined, now more than ever, to do everything I could to destroy him...or die trying. 

"I will not fail you and the others. You have watched over me, protected me, and lent me your power. I will do my best to free you and destroy Aku." I said. 

"I know you will. I expect nothing less from a Minamoto." 

She sighed a little and then forced a smile, reaching for her blades. I watched as she stood and slipped them back into her obi on the left side, tying the cord to secure them at her hip. Slowly, I stood, seeing a twinge of sadness in those gray eyes beneath the mask of a stoic expression she forced herself to wear upon her face. 

"I suppose my time is up now. Please, give me your hands. I'll invoke the power of Metal within you for the Metal Point and then I'll give you my final memories." she said. 

"Very well." 

She took my hands and held on tightly, stronger than I would have expected a lady to be capable of, focusing until a shimmering silver glow came around them. I shivered violently, suddenly feeling cold, as if I was surrounded by freezing cold metal, but refused to let go. Yet, once again, I could feel more words forming in my mind, my heart, words I did not know, yet seemed familiar all at the same time. 

Finally, she looked up at me and slowly released my hands. I let them drop, seeing a distant sadness in her eyes, but she still smiled a bit. It was time for me to see the memories of the last of the four Elementals and return to the fight against Aku. 

"I must leave you now, samurai, but remember, I will always be with you, in here." she said, gently pressing her hand to my heart. 

I nodded, forcing the emotion down within my heart, setting my face into one of cold determination. Her expression set back into one of sternness and I knew that there was no time for regrets now. We both had to do what we had to do without hesitation and see this through to the very end, no matter what came our way. 

"We will meet again, white warrior. When you are withdrawn from my memories, grow strong and well again for yourself and my sister. You both have a long road ahead of you." she said. 

Before I could respond, she invoked a second power, sending the silver glow over us both until it enveloped my body completely. I ignored the icy cold this time, wanting to say goodbye, but somehow, I knew that she was already gone. If I ever wanted to see her or any of the other Elementals again, I would have to fulfill my duty and free them. 

With this in mind, I sighed quietly, letting the power sweep me away for the fourth and final time. 

* * *

Opening my eyes, I found myself outside a breathtakingly beautiful traditional Japanese home, surrounded by beautiful gardens, much to my surprise. I walked along a winding stone path up to the house itself, removing my zori before stepping up onto the veranda. I suppose that it could not have hurt if I had left them on, seeing as how I was only a ghost here, but it was simply a force of habit. 

The door was closed and I made use of my being a spirit, peeking in to find a large dojo inside, simple and traditional in decor right down to the tatami mats, save for the four white tigers painted so that there was one on each wall. It looked quite similar to the dojos I had trained in while I was in China, only more Japanese. 

I carefully stepped in and looked around, finding it empty. Where was Hirame? 

I gasped and instinctively reached for my katana as the door behind me slid open and shut with a loud, sudden bang, cursing quietly to myself when I realized that, naturally, it was not there. I turned around in time to see Hirame pass through me in full armor, heading towards the opposite end of the large dojo. She sighed softly as she stood before the motto that read; "There is no honor, only perseverance," and it was then that I noticed a white tiger embroidered on the back of her kimono, peeking out from through her armor. 

I watched as she lowered herself into seiza position, removing her katana and setting it down to her left in an unusual manner. The positioning of her blades was a curious one, particularly in terms of samurai etiquette. Normally, a samurai would NEVER sit with their katana on their left, much less with the hilt facing forward for an easy draw. 

I had been taught that, in the presence of another, it was a gesture of mistrust and aggression. Instead, it was placed on the right with the hilt facing towards its owner's rear, indicating trust in a position that made it hard to easily draw from, especially if its owner was right handed. I had never known a left handed samurai in my life, but perhaps there were some out there. 

After all, I had been taught to fight ambidexterously, as good with my left hand as I was with my right and it was logical that with all her centuries of experience behind her, Hirame would have learned this, too. 

Hirame's position would have been potentially threatening had this not been her own home and I had not known that she was expecting Aku's arrival. Of course she was going to have her katana in a position where she could easily draw it to defend from an attack instead of giving him a chance to take her down first. At the rate things had been going, I was certain he was going to be so furious that he was not going to waste time demanding that she hand over the next Point. He was simply going to attack and there was no doubt that Hirame knew it, too. 

I walked closer to her, watching her kneel there, knowing that she was patiently waiting for the last few moments of her life to pass. It was almost eerily similar to how Asagi had been moments before her death, calm and meditative. The only difference was, Asagi had not fought her end and it was clear that Hirame, true to her samurai nature, was going to go down fighting. 

Suddenly, the door behind us slammed open again and I wheeled around, seeing Aku standing there, his hair back in a topknot this time. Slowly, Hirame rose and stood, picking up her blades and thrusting them into her obi. She turned towards Aku, her gray eyes glittering with a firey vengeance that nearly matched the spark of hatred in Aku's onyx eyes. 

"So you have come at last, Aku. Come to kill me as you have killed my three sisters?" she asked. 

"Only if you do not hand over the four Points to the Star of the Elements." 

"You know that is impossible for me to do." 

"And you know that it is impossible to harm me, so why do you even bother to fight and delay the inevitable?" 

"I do it because I must." 

I suddenly realized that they had fought, all but Asagi, to give the next Elemental time to fuse their piece with the rest of the Star and send it along. Himoto, Chame, they had fought a futile battle with him, simply to keep him from going after the Star as soon as he realized it was no longer in their hands. Asagi, on the other hand, had simply taunted him and baited him into attacking, knowing that it was futile to fight, that he was going to kill her no matter what she did. 

A sharp pang of anguish pierced through my very soul as I realized that the three of them had sacrificed themselves so that the Star could reach Chimitsu and then to me. They had fought a futile battle with Aku to the death, all for my sake, for the hope that I would be able to activate the power within the amulet and destroy Aku. The anguish melted into guilt as I sank to the floor on my knees, feeling absolutely sick inside with the revelation of what these four brave women had done or were going to do for the sake of restoring order from chaos. 

Hirame knew that she was going to die, but still was going to fight to delay him from reaching Chimitsu before she found me. It was useless for her to fight him, yet she was delaying him just long enough to keep him from going directly to Chimitsu. She had accepted her fate and her hope now lay with her younger sister...and myself. 

"Then so be it. I have no problem in destroying you for your insolence." Aku snapped, bringing my attention back to the battle at hand. 

Hirame chuckled and drew her katana, facing Aku's much larger bisento. I would never have dared to face such a large polearm with only a katana, knowing that I did not have the skill Hirame did to avoid a quick death from its sharp blade. They charged at each other, slashing at each other repeatedly, sending magical sparks flying about the dojo. 

I watched as she pushed back against his bisento, lashing out with a high kick to his chin that knocked him firmly on his backside. If not for the seriousness of the situation, I would have laughed at the sight of Aku literally being knocked onto his backside and by a female warrior, no less. It certainly served him right. 

He was not to be underestimated and sprung to his feet like a cat, swinging his bisento around expertly, forcing Hirame to block. Like a true samurai, she indeed blocked, backing up only a few steps before viciously returning the attack. However, I knew that this sort of close combat was not suited to a pair of millennia-old Elementals and that they would soon be fighting all over the dojo. 

Soon enough, Hirame lunged forward, blocking his bisento with her katana in her left hand, using her right to reach across and draw her wakizashi, slashing Aku cleanly across the stomach. He roared in pain, stumbling back a few steps as the blood began to trickle from the wound before slowly healing itself. I was impressed by the move, for had he been mortal, the strike would have killed him instantly. 

With both blades in hand, Hirame dove in, striking quickly, backing away, parrying, then starting all over again. She was easily a fighting match for Aku, giving him a fair amount of difficulty in defending himself from her repeated attacks. She was relentless, not once letting up on him as she kept going in, striking expertly over and over again. 

This little fact did not seem to bother Aku in the least and he parried her as easily as she parried him. Neither of them seemed to break a sweat or even grow tired as the battle wore on, even though I was feeling warm with tension and anticipation as I stood there. I could only watch helplessly as they circled each other carefully before Hirame backed up, then charged at him once more. 

Aku blocked this strike as he had the others, but with the bisento occupied, she was able to plunge her wakizashi into his chest where his lungs would be, up to the hilt so that the blade protruded out the other side. The move was similar to what Himoto had done with her sai, but not quite. Aku roared in pain and with a violent sweep of the butt end of his bisento, he sent her crashing to the tatami covered floor, causing me to wince. 

He staggered back a few steps, viciously tearing the shorter blade from his chest and taking a few steps back before flinging it back at its owner with deadly accuracy. Hirame rolled out of the way of the incoming blade at the last moment, watching as it sank deep into the floor before pulling herself to her feet. She limped but a little, clearly regenerating as she watched her opponent. 

Aku cockily waited for her to heal before lunging at her with his bisento in front of himself. Hirame sprang forward, rolled, and snatched up her wakizashi with amazing speed as the blade of the bisento sank into the floor where she had been only a split second before. She got to her feet and whirled around, flinging the shorter weapon at Aku with such force that I was almost unable to follow its movement through the air. 

The blade clipped his shoulder, causing him to stumble, but after that, it sailed through the air, embedding itself in a thick wooden pillar supporting the opposite wall. I stared at the wakizashi buried halfway up the blade in the wood, shocked that she had been able to throw it hard enough to do such a thing. I did not have to even try to pull it out to know that it was stuck too firmly for me to remove it. 

Looking back, I saw that Hirame had switched the katana back to her right hand now, twirling the blade expertly in her hands. Aku had regained his balance and charged in, slashing at her wildly, forcing her to dodge and occasionally block. He was as relentless as she was, trying to wear her down so he could finish her off. 

I stood frozen in place, watching the battle between the two Elemental warriors, stunned at the level of fighting skill Aku had while in his Elemental form. I had always known that he was a formidable opponent, but it almost terrified me to watch him battle Hirame, knowing that without the Star's power, I did not have a chance against him. Despite twenty years of long, hard, constant training around the world, he had centuries' worth of skill that I could never, in my entire lifetime, match without the help of Chimitsu's sisters and the Star. 

One particularly vicious strike came quite close to tearing her arm off at the shoulder, rendering her right hand momentarily useless, the fingers just barely staying closed around the handle of the katana she held. He did not even give her time to recover, sending a palm thrust into her chest with such a violent force that she flew back off her feet and through one of the wooden pillars in the center of the room, shattering it into splinters. I stood there, horrified as she skidded across the tatami a few feet, then came to a halt facedown on the floor. 

She lay there in a heap, her katana just inches away from her outstretched left hand as he approached with a self-satisfied smirk on his face. She had landed hard on her right side and seemed down for the count as he stood over her with his bisento in hand. He knew he had won; all he had to do now was strike her down and that would be the end of the Metal Elemental. 

"Is that all the Metal Elemental can offer?" he asked cockily, giving her leg a kick. 

I gasped and my eyes widened as her wild scream cut the air, followed by Aku's brief grunt of surprise. There were a few seconds of tense silence before I realized that she had picked up her katana and rammed it into his chest with both hands. Aku stood there, partially leaning over her with his bisento raised above his head and half of Hirame's katana buried in his chest between his heart and lungs. An expression of total, utter shock crossed his face as he slowly looked down to see the blade impaling his chest before looking up to see the savage expression on Hirame's lovely features. 

Viciously, she tore it out, rolling away as she let him fall before struggling to pull herself to her feet. I could see the pain in her stormy gray eyes as her tired body struggled to regenerate her numerous injuries. She was strong, she was an Elemental, but she was not a healer like Chimitsu and could not regenerate her wounds as easily or as quickly. 

Aku pulled himself to his feet and took a moment to regenerate as well before chuckling darkly. 

"So you have some new tricks, do you? I will give you credit for that last one. That was quite unexpected." he said. 

If I had not seen it myself, I would never have believed that Aku had actually admitted to not seeing an attack coming. She had caught him off guard, pretending to be seriously wounded when she still had enough strength left in her for one final attack on him. Even I would not have been able to predict such a brave and deadly move from her had I been in his place. 

Now she was drained and wounded, without much fight left in her. Plenty of spirit, perhaps, but not enough strength to fight him off for much longer. She was doomed and we all three knew it. 

Aku straightened as the last of his wounds closed and took a few steps back, holding his bisento at ready. 

"You have put up a worthy fight, Hirame, but now playtime is over. I do not have the time left to fool around with you any longer. However, because you have put up such a fight, I will give you a warrior's death, quick and painless." he said. 

Hirame snorted at this, her gray eyes darkening at the suggestion. 

"You couldn't give me a warrior's death, even if you truly wished to give me one. You're full of empty promises, Aku, and nothing good can ever come of your being in control of this planet." she said. 

"So you and your sisters all say. Goodbye, dear Metal Elemental, say hello to your three sisters in Hell." 

I tensed as I felt the same dark power surge as I had felt at Asagi's temple in the mountains, knowing that she would be unable to stop it, especially in her weakened state. Once again, the light in the room began to get pulled into the blade of his bisento, which gradually turned darker and darker until it shown like polished onyx. I swallowed hard, my heart pounding in my chest as I knew what was coming. I knew how he was planning to finish her, but I had not anticipated Hirame's final attack...on herself. 

"You'll never take me in life or death, Aku." she said, her eyes sparking with a final determination. 

She snatched up her katana and spun it around expertly before plunging it almost up to the hilt in her own stomach. Both my and Aku's eyes widened in horror when we realized what she had done, standing frozen in place, unable to react to her final act of defiance. It was just like a fellow samurai to do such a thing, but even I had not anticipated her to take her own life, not when Aku had killed the other three and managed to steal their essences. 

I had no idea that an Elemental could take their own lives in seppuku, having only been told that they could not kill each other. Never once had it crossed my mind to think that it was even possible for an Elemental to do such a thing, even if it was the only way Hirame could have escaped Aku's control in death. By taking her own life, her essence would slip right through his fingers and escape into the cycle of death and rebirth. 

Slowly, the light in her eyes began to fade and she gave Aku one last triumphant smile before her body toppled over onto the floor, her blood staining the tatami. Aku roared in frustration at being thwarted furiously enough to rattle the thin paper walls before looking down at the fallen Elemental, anger and hatred burning in his eyes. I watched him, part of me feeling sorrow at her death, the rest feeling almost happy that she had managed to get the last laugh, escaping of her own will into death instead of allowing him to take her life. 

He stood there for a few moments, his face creased with anger and frustration before I saw a familiar cunning spark in his eyes. Any happiness that I felt at her escape melted away when I saw this. I did not like where this was starting to go. 

"Demongo!" he roared. 

Instantly, the lithe demon with the blue-fire eyes appeared, his cape wrapped around him. I stared at him in confusion, wondering just what the hell he could be doing here. He paused only to give his master a bow, waiting for orders. 

"Don't just stand there, fool! Get her essence! Quickly, before it escapes!" 

Without hesitation, he floated over and held up his hands, focusing on Hirame's lifeless form. I could only watch helplessly as the little one drew on what was left of her fleeing lifeforce, pulling in a tiny bit before it was gone completely. He turned and bowed, offering the glowing, smoky orb to Aku, who took it, gloating for a moment before the pair disappeared. 

I fell to my knees next to Hirame, hot, angry tears stinging beneath my eyelids as I gently laid a hand on her shoulder. Her spirit had almost escaped had it not been for Demongo's ability to capture essences. So that was how Aku had stolen enough of her essence to reincarnate Mad Jack and how he had created the other Dark Elementals. 

Damn him! Damn him for doing this to Chimitsu and her sisters, all because of his insatiable lust for power and his desire to destroy everything and anyone who stood in his way. Young, old, men, women, mortal or Elemental, anyone who dared to stand up to him for the sake of restoring peace and order out of the chaos he had created over the centuries. 

He was going to pay. When I woke up and recovered fully, I was going to make him pay for all the needless suffering he had caused in his quest for limitless power. No matter what it took, what he and the Dark Elementals threw at me, what I would have to do, I was not going to stop until I had him on his knees, begging for the mercy he so often denied others. 

Suddenly, I felt myself being pulled away from her, realizing that it was time for me to return to the fight. I would finally be able to tell Chimitsu why the Star of the Elements had activated and why I had slipped in and out of consciousness while she was standing right there at my side. Aku was finally going to pay and pay dearly at my hands for his sins. 

With one last glance at Hirame's lifeless form on her dojo floor, I was pulled back into my own body and back to consciousness. 

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_[1]daisho_: literally: the long and the short; the pair of samurai swords, consisting of a katana and the shorter wakizashi 


	29. Nijuuhachi: Back To Health

Hihi! Hope you're all enjoying the story so far! :) Roughly halfway through what I have totally written, so keep tuned! Major thanks to those of you who reviewed, I appreciate it! :) Also thanks to Jess for her BEAUTIFUL fanart(I'm still trying to get my webpages straightened out so I can upload...let you all know when I get 'em up so you can see the Elementals. :)) and a very special thank you to my editor, sss979, for helping me with the apocalyptic newscasts. I appreciate it. Enjoy and take care! - TN 

* * *

With a sharp gasp, my eyes snapped open and I jolted upright, finding myself not in Hirame's dojo, but in a bed. Instantly, my body protested the movement, sending me into a coughing spell as I flopped back onto the pillow. Every inch of my body throbbed with pain, but I was awake and alive and that was more than enough to prove to myself that I had survived Ekirei's blue orb. 

A few seconds later, I felt a pairs of hands gently hold me down while another pair slipped a plastic mask over my face. Within moments of this, the coughing stopped and I found that I was able to breathe more easily. I gave a groan and looked up through misted eyes at Chimitsu, seeing her worried, yet relieved expression. 

"Chimitsu..." I whispered hoarsely. 

"Take it easy, Jack. You only just pulled yourself out of that coma." 

I looked at her confusedly, still feeling groggy enough to not understand what she was telling me. 

"Coma?" 

"A deep unconsciousness. You slipped into one when Eki hit you with that orb. It's something that happens when one's body needs to recover and cannot expend energy with wakefulness." 

She sat down on a nearby chair, smoothing out her gown and fluttering her wings into place against her back. Her sharp emerald eyes sparkled with happiness and relief, making her appear more cheerful than the last time I had seen her in Aku's dungeon. 

"It's so good to have you back, warrior." she remarked. 

I shifted a little on the bed and looked around as best I could, not daring to move so suddenly again. Mechanical devices of all shapes and sizes surrounded me and the bed I lay upon, some beeping periodically while others hissed with the sound of passing air. Overhead, a bag containing some sort of clear fluid hung from a gleaming steel hook, from which extended a plastic tube that led down and into my arm. 

My body ached all over, right down to my very bones and I felt more than a little bit warm with fever. I had survived, yes, but just barely and still had a long way to go before I was ready to fight again. There was no telling how long it would take and I grumbled inwardly at the thought of being delayed longer than necessary. 

"It is good to be back. Where am I?" 

The other set of hands reappeared, gently removing the mask from my face now that I had stopped coughing and was breathing easier. I had not realized that the other person was still in the room and slowly turned my head to see who it was. Who I saw was someone I had not seen in many, many months, but was happy to see nonetheless. 

"Extor?" 

The short, bespectacled scientist set the mask on a tank with one hand and turned off the flow of air coming from it with the other. Slowly, he turned to face me, smiling although I could see that he, too, had been very worried about me. He pulled the rubber gloves from his hands and tucked them into a pocket in his lab coat before sitting on the edge of the bed near my feet. 

"Yes, Jack, it's me. Your lady friend brought you here some time ago to see if I could help you recover. Wasn't much else I could do but keep you here under full monitoring until you either recovered or expired." he replied. 

"Expired?" 

I furrowed my brow, mildly shocked at his words. I had known from the few times I had flickered in and out of consciousness that I was in bad shape after the fight and from the orb, but had no idea how bad it had really been until now. Indeed, it truly had been a matter of life and death while I was being visited and encouraged by Chimitsu's sisters. 

"I'm afraid so. You see, the disease that you were inflicted with is a deadly one with no known cure. Most people lapse into a comatose state and eventually just expire without any knowledge of ever being sick. Somehow, you've pulled yourself out of it, but you're a long ways off from being in full health again." 

I was not certain what to think or even to say at that point. I felt better than I had when I had last fought to stay awake, but from the way my body ached and burned with fever still, I knew he was right. I had no idea that what Eki had infected me with had been so deadly and felt a little bit dizzy as I mulled that thought over to myself. 

"So it would seem. How long until I am able to continue on my way?" I asked. 

"We're not entirely certain. It could be anywhere from a couple of days to another week. Never have we seen someone recover from this illness." 

I sighed heavily, relieved to know that I had survived such an illness and did not fall as Eki had likely planned. Unfortunately, being the first meant that without a predecessor, Extor had no idea how long it would take me to recover, which did not help to ease my worries about getting back to my quest. 

"I did not exactly have a choice. If I had allowed myself to die, everything we have fought for would have been for nothing. Then what would have happened to you, Chimitsu, and every other good and decent person in this hellish world?" 

Extor paused and set aside the mask he had been holding. I could tell that he was in awe that I had managed to survive the illness, despite how he tried to hide it. No doubt, to a scientist of his caliber, my survival and impending recovery was an impressive feat to be carefully monitored and recorded. 

"Hmm. Yes, well, the mind is known to hold a certain level of control over the body so that may very well have done it. For now, however, you must rest or you'll never fully recover. And to help ensure that your body has no ill effects from the disease..." he stated. 

He reached over and picked up a plastic tube filled with a pale blue liquid that had a long, thin needle at the end. I shifted a bit, not at all liking the look of it or the thought of what he was going to do with it. He turned back to me, squirting a bit of the liquid out the end of the needle. 

"Hold out your arm, please, Jack." he requested. 

"What do you plan to do with that needle?" 

"This is just a booster to keep you from falling ill again. It won't hurt that much." 

I did not move, not at all liking the idea of being poked and prodded with even the smallest of needles. I had never been poked with a needle before and had no idea how it was going to feel, making me hesitate even more. He looked a bit irritated at this and sighed softly, lowering the hand holding the needle to his side in frustrated impatience. 

"C'mon, Jack, you of all people afraid of a little bitty needle?" he asked. 

"Then stick yourself with it." 

"I would be happy to oblige to that except I'm not that one that's just recovering from a serious illness. I've given and received these shots before plenty of times, I know what I'm doing." 

Reluctantly, I allowed him to take my arm, watching nervously as the needle came closer and closer to my arm. I swallowed hard, feeling the sweat bead on my forehead as it neared my skin. I did not want to watch, but could not manage to pull myself away from the sight of that needle coming closer and closer to my arm. 

"Jack, look at me." Chimitsu said. 

I quickly turned my head towards her voice, momentarily startled and wondering what she wanted. Before I could react at all, she leaned in and kissed me firmly, effectively distracting me from the small pinprick I felt as the needle slid beneath my skin and into my arm. I returned her warm, gentle kiss until Extor had finished with the shot, the needle pulling from my arm and a bandage being stuck over where it had been. 

"Well, I suppose that's one way to get 'im to take a needle." he remarked with a chuckle. 

"That was very tricky of you, Chimitsu-chan." I chided gently. 

"Yes, but it worked, didn't it?" she replied smugly. 

I shook my head and looked over to Extor, who was putting the various medical instruments away. I did not have the heart to argue with her, especially over something so trivial and had enjoyed just a little bit anyways. I shifted a little uncomfortably as I watched Extor, becoming aware of small electrodes stuck to my chest and wondering just how many of those instruments he had used on me while I was unconscious. 

The thought was not a pleasant one, to say the least. 

"I think I shall leave the two of you alone for awhile. Make sure he eats and rests, Chimitsu." he instructed. 

"I will." she replied. 

"Thank you for your help, Extor-san." I uttered quietly. 

He gave a smile before retreating from the room, leaving Chimitsu and I alone in the lab. It was quiet, the only sound coming from machines that had been hooked up to my chest, making quiet beeping noises every few seconds. I shifted again, wishing I could be rid of these cold, emotionless machines, but knew they had to be there for a reason and did not complain. 

"How are you feeling?" Chimitsu asked quietly. 

"Still tired and weak, but better. I can actually speak to you now instead of slipping in and out of consciousness." 

"You have no idea how relieved we are, Jack. You had us worried for a very long time. We weren't sure if you'd ever pull yourself out of it or if you'd end up losing the fight and expire." 

I watched her shift a little in the chair, fidgeting with her gown's hem a bit in the uncomfortable silence. I could see the concern in her eyes surfacing now, realizing that she had been forcing the cheerfulness I had seen earlier because Extor was there. I did not like the change and decided to try and bring back some of that cheerfulness to her lovely features. 

"Heh. Takes a lot more than illness to kill me." I joked. 

She smiled faintly, sighed softly and took my hand, pressing a feather-soft kiss to the palm. Somehow, I found this gesture to be quite loving, almost erotic, and watched her with interest as she released my hand. Realizing what I had been thinking, I felt my face heat up and quickly pushed the feelings away, knowing that I had no time for them when there were more important matters at hand for me to think about. 

"I suppose I owe you a bit of an explanation, huh?" she asked. 

"Depends on the explanation, Chimitsu-chan. I have a number of questions that are currently left unanswered that I must know before continuing with this quest." 

"Like what?" 

"Tell me, how did you do what you did in Aku's dungeon? I thought you had lost your wings. I remember watching them disappear at the hotel shortly before we were separated. What happened?" 

She gave me another fleeting smile before pushing her chair over towards the foot of the bed and sitting down again. I watched her from the pillow as she picked up my left foot and put it into her lap. She inspected my toes for a moment before gently lifting the foot by the heel and using her other hand to massage the arch with her fingertips. 

Immediately, I closed my eyes and sighed, my body relaxing at such a delicious feeling. 

"Ahh, yes, that." she murmured. 

She sighed a little and gently ran her fingers over the ball of the foot she was holding. 

"They did disappear altogether, yes. We both saw that happen with our very own eyes. What I didn't tell you was what would happen if I lost them completely." 

She glanced down to the foot she was massaging, pausing only to nervously push a wisp of hair back over her ear. I could see in her eyes that it was not something she wished to experience again, noting the concentration in her eyes as she tried to focus more on the massage than the memory of what she had been through. I could feel the hand cradling my heel tremble a bit, though she tried to steady herself before I noticed. 

Remembering what Eki had told me moments before Chimitsu-chan had come for me in the dungeon, I realized that she did not have to finish her answer. I already knew what she was going to say, even though she did not know that I already knew. It was apparent that the thought of Ekirei cruelly telling me to break my spirit had not crossed her mind just yet. 

"You would lose your power and become human." I finished for her. 

She paused and looked up at me, her eyes showing surprise and perhaps a little bit of confusion. 

"How do you know that?" she asked. 

"Ekirei told me while they had me down there in the dungeon. I suppose she was trying to break me, trying to keep me from hoping that anyone would ever come for me there." 

She looked at me for a few seconds before looking down to my foot again, her hands once more massaging ever so gently. There were a few moments of silence as she thought about what I said, contemplating the possibility of her dark twin doing such a thing. All this time, she had not considered that I might have already known about what happened when she lost her wings and that was why I was asking how she regained them. 

"I see," she said. "Yes, it's true. When we left the hotel to continue on our way, I was indeed as human as you were. My clothes melted away into human clothing to fit in with the fact that I no longer had power and couldn't wear the Elemental robes anymore. It was why I couldn't fight with magic, why I used what little martial knowledge I had to try and escape the crowd." 

"If you lost your wings, then how did you get them back when you were human?" I asked confusedly. 

She looked up again and I saw a spark of realization creep into her eyes as a knowing smile crossed her rose-colored lips. 

"By all means, I shouldn't have my wings and my power back, but I think I simply pushed myself on and forced myself to recover." she replied. 

"What happened after we were separated?" 

"I'm not sure what happened to you, but the crowd dragged me away into another part of the city, where I was finally able to escape and fled to the Highlands. I tried getting Duncan's help, but he wasn't there. His wife wanted me to wait for him to return, but I couldn't wait. She said I was foolish to go alone and powerless, but I couldn't stay behind when you were out there in need of help." 

I stared at her in awe, impressed at her bravery in terms of her fighting her way through to Aku's fortress after me without her powers. I knew of few people with the guts to put their life on the line for me like that without powers, Duncan being among those few. I felt mildly betrayed at the thought that he had not come with her to help get me out, knowing that he had not been home when she had taken off, but had not heard that he had followed her. 

"I thank you for coming to my aid, Chimitsu-chan, but...Duncan did not come to help you in getting me out of that dungeon?" I asked. 

"It's not that. I did eventually persuade her to let me leave the castle and try to find you. She said that she'd let Duncan know where I'd gone and that you'd need help as soon as he came back. I left then and it wasn't until I got you out of there that I found he had come with most of his clan to help fight for you. He was more than a bit upset to know that he'd missed most of the action, but they did help protect us long enough to get here." 

I sank back on the pillow a bit, feeling a bit foolish for thinking that the best friend I ever had in this hellish world would have forsaken me in my hour of need. He may not have been there to help Chimitsu from the start, but at least he had helped guard her as she got me to safety. A little help was better than none, after all. 

"Is he here?" I asked. 

"Yes, but he has to return to the Highlands soon. The clansmen went on ahead of him, but he doesn't have too much time left to stay here before he must return home to take care of clan business in Scotland." 

I shifted uncomfortably again, my very bones aching and the sheets had become damp with sweat from the fever I was still feeling. I was tiring, but still needed to have my answers before I would allow myself to sleep again. I forced back the uncomfortable, almost nauseating feelings, and shifted into a more comfortable position. 

"I see. I will see him when I can then. But honestly, Chimitsu, I do not understand how your wings regenerated when you were powerless." I pointed out. 

She chuckled and flashed a smirk before switching to the other foot. 

"If you can pull yourself from a coma, then I can regenerate my wings from beyond the point of when I'm able to. I desperately wanted to save your life, to bring the world's only hope back from under the nose of the demon and his minions." 

"Even if you did not have any power?" 

"Even if I did not have power, yes. I would rather die trying to save you than leave you in the hands of Aku." 

I watched her massage my foot for a few moments before remembering where I was and that she was not the only one who had put her life on the line by helping save my life. 

"What about Extor?" I asked. 

"He didn't know what was going on at the time. Nobody else had known what had happened in the city. He only found out when I showed up at his doorstep with you and the clan of Scots, needing his help." 

"I see. I owe you a great deal, Chimitsu-chan." 

This was the third time she had saved my life and while I may have repaid her before, I was not certain I would be able to do so this time. It was one thing for her to save my life once, even twice, but three times was extraordinarily lucky. I did not think I would be able to do enough to repay such a triple fortune. 

"You owe me nothing, samurai. Friends carry no debts, especially friends as special as you." she replied with a faint smile. 

She massaged my foot for awhile in silence, moving her fingers about the arch and gently moving her thumbs in circles about the arch. I sighed contentedly at her expert touch, feeling almost disappointed as she lowered my foot back to the bed and reached over to pick up a bowl of stew that had been sitting on the table near the bed. I was reluctant to accept, not feeling as hungry as I was anxious to know what had happened while I was in that coma. 

Yet Chimitsu would not allow me to go without food, so I relented, allowing her to feed me. I ate quietly, wondering how long I could have been in that coma. It had not felt long at all, perhaps a few hours or a few days, but the way Chimitsu and Extor had spoken, it seemed like it had been much, much longer than that. 

"Tell me, Chimitsu, how long was I unconscious? It does not feel like I have been asleep for very long. More like a series of small dreams throughout a single night." I stated between bites. 

"Well...you've been out longer than just one night. It's been about a month since we left Aku's fortress." 

I choked on my stew in shock at her words. An entire month?! By the gods, how could I have been out of the fight for that long? It was unbelievable to think that I had been out for such an amount of time. Chimitsu gently patted me on the back while I tried to catch my breath. 

"A month? How could it have been a month?" I asked once I was able to breathe again. 

"Comas are like that, Jack. Some people are in comas for several years before they either come out of it or their families determine that they never will and have their life support removed." 

"By the gods...what on earth has happened out there in my absense?" 

Her eyes darkened with a heavy sadness and she looked away, not wanting to face me. She set down the stew and I realized that something was gravely wrong. Chimitsu would not have reacted that way if everything had been all right out there. 

Besides, with Mad Jack alive and well, it was too much to hope that everything would be all right long enough for me to recover like this. There could have been plenty of things for him to do with me temporarily unable to stop him from causing pain and suffering for the innocents of this world. I hated to think of what he and Ekirei could have done in that time. 

The two of them could have laid the planet to waste or sought out the few friends I had in this world and caused them suffering in my absense. Some could have even been killed if this was how long I had been gone from the world around me. The very thought was more than I could bear and I could see the same registering in Chimitsu's eyes. 

"Chimitsu-chan...what is it? What is wrong?" I asked. 

"Perhaps you'd best see for yourself." 

She picked up a slim plastic device and pressed a button, turning on the television set with a soft click. She flipped her way through the channels until she had come to a stop on a twenty-four hour news station that I had seen on occasion before and knew from Duncan that I had been on before amongst wanted criminal specials. It did not matter where the reporters were stationed at, something was gravely wrong in each place. 

_ "Another estimated three thousand lives were claimed by disease spreading through the northern region of Europe. Some say the plague is reminiscent of the Black Death..." _

I swallowed hard, feeling absolutely sick to my stomach at the sight of the ghastly report and quickly squeezed my eyes. I tried to force down the rising nausea in my chest, but to little avail. The images were still burned into my eyes, the words echoing in my mind what Ekirei had been doing while I was out of action. 

Three...thousand...lives....all wiped out by the vengeful angel of death and destruction. All because I could not be there to stop her and save them. Slowly, I opened my eyes, gazing back upon the set hanging from the ceiling. 

_ "Across the globe, religious groups are gearing up for what they say will be the end of humanity. With large scale wars in parts of every continent, some former skeptics say they are beginning to believe..." _

I squeezed my eyes shut tight again, clenching the blankets tightly in my hands until I thought I would tear them for certain. I thought I had felt helpless before, but now the feeling of despair and hopelessness washed over me in waves until they had torn through my very soul. This...this all had to end and it had to end as soon as possible, before more innocent lives were lost to Aku's whims. 

Once again, I reluctantly opened my eyes, staring at the screen through blurry eyes. 

_ "Reports from the Western Hemisphere confirm that the northern governments are on the brink of collapse. Efforts to bring down the cost of food have failed, and coalition efforts between those governments have done nothing to stop the panic that is spreading as food shortages reach epidemic proportions. Gasoline and oil companies have shut down and people are confined to their homes, able to do little more than wait and starve. With food a luxury that most civilians cannot afford, many say their is no hope in sight." _

I swallowed hard as Chimitsu turned off the screen, closing my eyes in another vain attempt to force out the images I had seen and all that I had heard. So many innocent lives, needlessly laid to waste by Mad Jack and Eki and for what? Because Aku had wanted to draw me out to destroy me? Because he felt like it? 

My heart ached at the thought of why they could possibly commit such atrocities without batting an eye. 

"By the gods...all those people, Chimitsu. They are destroying all those innocent lives for no reason at all." 

"I know, Jack," she murmured sympathetically, reaching up to brush a few strands of hair out of my face. 

I reached up and pushed her hand away, feeling absolutely furious. Sympathy and inaction would get us nowhere and do nothing for those people out there that were being tormented by the emissaries of the very demon they were trying to please. Damn that Aku for tormenting innocents like this when his battle was with me. 

There was no reason at all to bring them into this, none whatsoever. 

"When will it end?! How many more must die before he ends it?!" I cried frustratedly. 

"I don't know. The news has been like this for nearly two weeks now. Some stations are even calling it the apocalypse, the end of the world. It's not just here, either. Even in other countries, the news is the same. I received word from Duncan's wife not that long ago that even in Scotland and the Isles, there's pain and suffering." 

"There is no reason for it, Chimitsu-chan! His fight is with ME! These people have done nothing but bow down to his wishes, give him everything he asks that is humanly possible, but now he destroys them! Why!?" 

"I wish I could answer that for you, pure one, but I can't. Aku's the most fickle, unpredictable being that I've ever known and with something that chaotic, you can't possibly figure out what it's reasons for doing anything are." 

I clenched the blankets tightly in my hands, wanting to hate Aku for all this torment, but also hating myself because if it were not for me, these people would not be suffering so. Perhaps they would suffer some, as was to be expected under Aku's rule, but not like this. It was all because of my very existence that the Dark Elementals were causing such chaos, suffering, and pain. 

"I must stop this." I growled, moving to get out of bed. 

"No!" 

Chimitsu quickly stopped me, pushing me back onto the bed. I tried to push her away, but she would not let me, using every ounce of Elemental strength that she had to keep me where I was. I growled softly, warning her to step aside and let me pass. 

"Chimitsu-chan...please...get out of my way." I hissed through clenched teeth. 

"You know I can't do that." 

"You must! People are dying out there!" 

I attempted to get out of bed once more, but she forced me onto my back, pinning me still to the bed I was laying in. I did not like this one bit and fought her with all my strength, ignoring the monitors and protesting wires, trying to wrestle free. Yet she was stronger and I was unable to move much, stuck in bed no matter how much I hated it. 

"Don't be a fool, Jack!" she snapped. "You will fight bravely and die very quickly and that's just what Aku wants!" 

I lay there and stared at the sheets, swearing under my breath. It did not matter that I was in the presense of a lady, I did not know what else to say or think in that moment. It was frustrating to know that people were suffering and dying and I could do nothing to stop it, that I would be confined to this damn hospital bed until I was deemed ready to fight again. 

I could tell by the look on Chimitsu's face that she was not about to let me up, ready to push me back down the moment I gave any sign of making another attempt to get up. Despite how I downright hated waiting while others suffered, I knew that she was right and finally relented, allowing my body to relax. Aku would love it if I ran headlong into battle, injured and in anger, a perfect target for him to tear apart and dash everyone's hopes to dust in one foolish moment. 

"Damnit...this cannot be happening. I cannot take time to be sick, not now of all times." I moaned frustratedly as she let me go. 

"I understand and sympathize, Jack, really I do, but Eki and Mad Jack are done playing around with us. They know that you're recovering and they're going to be relentless whenever we decide to stick our necks out. We must choose the time to do so wisely." 

I felt her slip her arms around my shoulders and leaned into the embrace, trying to keep myself from breaking down in tears in her presence. If only there was something we could do, it would ease my pain and I would feel much better. I would not feel so restless and agitated if I knew that their suffering was eased even just a little bit. 

"Is there nothing that can be done to help them?" I asked. 

"I'm afraid not. I can only heal injury and if I were to try and heal all the injuries that have been inflicted out there, it will mean my death. In no way do I have enough power to heal so many wounds." 

"Then what about me? Can you not heal this sickness?" 

"I can't. If I could, I would have long before this started. My power is only for injuries. I can't heal illnesses. I'm sorry, Jack, but that is the one limitation to my power." 

I lowered my head and sat back on the bed, looking at the stew as she slowly pulled away. I had lost my appetite by now, feeling absolutely sick to know that so many people were suffering at the expense of my very existence. Yet Chimitsu was not about to let me do anything without food in my stomach and fed me spoonful after spoonful of the stew until I had eaten it all. When I had finished, Chimitsu took the bowl and set it aside before tucking me in, wrapping the warm blankets around my shoulders. 

"Rest now, Jack. You'll be able to fight soon enough." she said, leaning down to kiss my forehead. 

I sighed and curled up as she left, trying to shut out what I had seen so I could get some decent rest. If I ever wanted to face the shadow demon himself, I would have to regain my strength. With another heavy sigh, I closed my eyes and let the warmth of the blankets carry me away into another deep sleep. 


	30. Nijuukyuu: Power Joined Together

I tossed and turned fitfully, tired enough to want to sleep, yet not wanting to sleep at the same time, fearing that if I did, I would see another Elemental's death. I desperately wanted to go out and fight for all those innocents Aku was hurting, but knew that I could not do so unless my body recovered or he would win for certain. Nevertheless, it was difficult to lay there and not think about all those people out there, crying out for someone to help them, crying out for me to avenge them. 

Eventually, I did manage to drift off into a fitful sleep, finding myself in a haze different from the one I had experienced in my fever dreams when Chimitsu's sisters had visited me. It was dark and shadowy here, but not frighteningly so as I looked around, trying to find out where it was that this place resided. 

Off in the distance, the haze and shadows cleared so that I was finally able to spot another person and quickly hurried towards it. If there was someone else here within my mind, then I would not be alone until I woke up, even if this was some kind of dream. As I drew nearer, it became apparent that the other person was none other than Chimitsu. 

"Chimitsu! Chimitsu-chan!" I cried out to her, hoping she would hear me. 

Yet she did not turn to face me or acknowledge that I had called out to her, keeping her back turned towards me. I found that rather odd, knowing that she always looked out for me without fail since she appeared to care about me a great deal. I walked up to her and attempted to rest a hand on her shoulder, only to have it pass right on through, much to my surprise and frustration. 

I furrowed my brow and took a step back to contemplate this. She was not here or if she was, I was a spirit to her and she would not be able to see or hear me. I knew she was alive when she had been in my presense only moments before, so this had to be some sort of very strange dream, one I could not seem to wake up from. I stood right in front of her, gazing into her empty green eyes, yet she still did not appear to see me, strange and disturbing as it was. 

Suddenly, she turned and instantly vanished the moment she took a single step away as if she were a ghost. It almost looked like she was walking away from something other than myself, something I could not see and that worried me, wondering just what or whom could be here besides us. I looked around frantically, hoping to find her again, but saw no sign of her or anybody else. 

Damn. I did not like how she simply disappeared like that without even acknowledging me as if were the ghost and not her. If this was a dream, then it definitely did not bode well as a feeling of dread rose in my chest. It felt almost as forboding as a premonition, but I had never experienced a premonition before and could not be certain. 

With a sigh, I sat down in lotus position, knowing that I would not be able to find her if I did not calm my mind and focus. I closed my eyes and took slow, deep breaths, focusing on her through my growing anxiety. I wanted to find her, see where she had gone and why, what it all meant to me in this dream. 

Sensing that I had found what I was looking for, I opened my eyes and quickly rose with a gasp, startled at what I saw. I was back in Aku's fortress, not exactly in the dungeons, but not exactly in the usual spot where I saw him, either. It was an entirely different part of his fortress that had been, oddly enough, designed as a feudal castle, causing a pang of homesickness to rise in my chest. 

Disregarding any notions that Aku might be in this dreamscape or even controlling it, I regained my composure and walked about, trying to see where Chimitsu had gone. It made no sense for her to come to Aku's fortress alone, not when he was wanting to kill her and she had been running from him all this time. She could not possibly be here, although the nagging feeling of dread began to rise in my chest again as I continued into the fortress. 

Soon enough, my ears caught the sound of combat, which I followed deep within the fortress to another room. It was not quite a dojo, but perhaps more like an arena of some kind although it had been decorated much like a dojo, even if it was in Aku's twisted style. It was empty but for Chimitsu, Aku, who was in his Elemental form standing off to the side watching, and three shadowlike beings. Two of the shadows were battling each other while Chimitsu fought the third, but I could not see whom they were or whom Chimitsu-chan was fighting. 

I watched as Chimitsu fought with the shadow, but it did not look like any form I was familiar with. It could have been representative of anyone, male or female, human or Elemental. I was unable to tell what or whom it was she was fighting, only that she was fighting her hardest to defeat it. 

I moved in closer to get a better look, but the shadows did not change, having only faceless, random human shapes that Aku seemed to enjoy watching. Chimitsu looked frustrated and battle worn and I began to fear that she was losing the fight. Her nodachi slashed over and over again repeatedly, moving like silvery lightning, but it did not appear to be making any critical strikes on the shadow creature. 

Suddenly, she raised up the nodachi to make a powerful downward strike, something I knew that was rarely done for the simple fact that it left you wide open to attack unless the other was doing the exact same thing. With my heart pounding wildly in my chest, I hurried forward to stop the fighters, only to watch in horror as Chimitsu was impaled upon a blade that looked very much like my own. I froze and stared in shock, unable to tell if it was my hand or Mad Jack's that dealt the killing blow, only that the katana that pierced her looked exactly like the one I carried. 

I closed my eyes shut tightly, trying to force out the image of Chimitsu impaled on what appeared to be my blade though it seemed to be burned into my mind as a cold realization swept over me. By the gods...could it be that she was going to die by my hand? No, it could not be so and I would not allow myself to believe that it was even possible. It had to mean that perhaps she would fall to Mad Jack, but not to me. I would never harm her, much less kill her, not when I cared about her as I did. 

I could feel a power welling up inside of me, burning passionately with a desire to stop this destruction and see the end of Aku. I could feel it firing up, swelling with such force that the vision of Chimitsu's death vanished the moment I opened my eyes, disappearing into mist as if it had never been there at all. This power...it was so familiar and foreign all at the same time as if it had been a part of me all along and I had simply not known about it. There was something inside of me...welling up to explosive proportions. Such raw power... 

* * *

My eyes snapped open and I quickly sat up, this time without a coughing spell to send me back onto the bed, realizing that I could feel it. I could feel the raw power inside of me, burning with the desire I felt in my heart to stop all the destruction caused by the Dark Elementals and Aku. It was almost as if my heart had merged with another's will or had somehow been awakened with such raw, violent power, the likes of which I had never felt or known possible before. 

I turned my head and saw the Star of the Elements lying on the nightstand where Chimitsu had left it. It had not changed or moved, but now shined brightly with the power it held and all five points glowed like small fires. I reached over and carefully picked it up, feeling the same power that burned inside of me radiating from it. My body and this amulet seemed to be harmonizing somehow, but I did not understand how this could be or what had caused it in the first place. 

How very strange. I knew that the only one who would be able to tell me anything about this would be Chimitsu and she was not in the room at that particular moment. Both she and Extor had told me to not leave, to get my rest, but I felt that I had done enough rest. 

I wanted answers and knew that I would have to wrestle them out of her one way or another, hoping she would tell me without much resistance. As it was, I did not have the strength to argue with her on the matter. No, I knew in my heart that she would tell me if I made it known just how serious a matter this was for me to know. 

I attempted to swing my legs over the side of the bed, only to feel something tug at my naked chest with a bit of discomfort. I looked down to find that I was still connected to the monitors that beeped, hissed, and dripped rhythmically. I frowned and quickly pulled them off, ignoring the short, quick pain and solid whine that came from them as I did so, not caring what their purpose was at the moment. 

Now that I had freed myself from the monitors, I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, finding with mild irritation that I had been wearing only my fundoshi. I looked around, not wanting to walk about nearly naked and was relieved to find a grey-white sleeping robe nearby, possibly left by Chimitsu for when I awoke. Once I had dressed in it, I carefully made my way to the door, trying the handle to see if it was locked. 

It swung open and I took several unsteady steps out into the hallway with the Star of the Elements dangling from my hand. I was relieved to find that they had not locked me in, knowing that I would not have had the strength to break the door down, no matter how much I would have wanted to so I could get my answers. The hall was almost like the lab, very bare and sterile in looks. The walls, floor, and ceiling were almost completely white, so much so that it stung my eyes, save for a window into a lab here or a lab there and some doors. I stumbled along, doing my best to lean against the wall for support as I made my way down the hall to find Chimitsu, determined to find her and get my answers. 

My body felt unsteady and weak from the weeks of being bedridden and sick and I felt my annoyance grow at my lack of strength. I would not be able to defend myself or anyone else against Aku should he attack now and I was not pleased with the thought, swearing silently to myself that I would train my hardest to regain my strength once I was able to. At this rate, a turtle would have made its way down the hall to Chimitsu and the others faster than I was moving at the moment. 

Somehow, though, Chimitsu and Extor had been alerted to the fact that I had left the room I had been in and I soon saw them and Duncan bolting down the hall towards me with concerned looks on their faces. I took a few more weak steps towards them before I lost my balance and tripped over the loose edge of the robe hanging open around my shoulders, nearly crashing to the floor if not for Duncan catching me in time. I began to feel dizzy and was more than a little relieved that he was big enough to support my weight. 

"What on earth are ye doin' out of bed, laddie?" he asked. 

He pushed me up to my feet and I leaned weakly against the wall, trying not to fall to the floor again as I held up the Star of the Elements. Instantly, I could see the shock in their eyes and knew that they were most likely wondering what I was doing with it. Chimitsu walked over and gently took it from me, looking at it carefully, almost studying it while I half leaned on the wall, half on Duncan's shoulder. 

"It was glowing like that on the nightstand. I did not know what to make of it, whether or not it was reacting to something, so I tried to find Chimitsu-chan. She knows its power best." I told them. 

"Indeed I do, but I've never seen it do this before. The energies inside of it are immense, almost explosive. How did it get like this?" 

"I am not certain. I woke up and it was like that." 

Chimitsu's head immediately snapped up and in my direction, the shock and surprise evident in her emerald eyes. For a few moments, nobody spoke, and I began to feel my strength slipping as I leaned more heavily on Duncan and the wall. Slowly, she looked back to the amulet she held, her shock melting away into bewilderment. 

"That's impossible. The Wind Point seems to be activated and that can't be done unless I invoke the power, which I haven't done. You've been too weak for me to do that without seriously endangering your life." she replied. 

"I don't know, it looks like it's glowin' all right to me." Duncan stated, shifting my weight against his shoulder, trying to get me to stand more against the wall than him. 

Chimitsu slowly lowered her hand with the Star dangling a few inches below her closed fist and she stared blankly ahead at the wall with a contemplative expression on her face. It was true that she knew the Star's power best, but apparently, this turn of events had her completely puzzled and that could not possibly be a good thing. Now was not the time for her to be uncertain as to what the amulet could do when we were on the verge of needing it. 

"Indeed it is, but I wish I knew what caused it. Any of the five Elemental Points need to have their power invoked. They don't just flare up with power out of nowhere like that." she told us. 

I tried to shift my weight a bit, only to find myself still too weak to stay standing upright of my own power for long. I furrowed my brow in frustration at this and what Chimitsu said. If they had to be invoked and only her four sisters had invoked their powers into their Points, then it could not be at full power, not when she had not invoked her power into the final Wind Point because I was too weak for it. 

"I am sorry, Chimitsu-chan. I wish I knew what caused it, but it was like that when I awoke. I knew that it had not done that before and decided to find you to see what you new about it. I need to know about what that amulet can do if I am to use it and I want my answers now, please." I stated firmly, despite my rapidly weakening state. 

She looked over at me and eyed me up for a bit before sighing heavily. I could tell that she was reluctant to tell me any of the answers I was seeking, but I was not about to have it any other way. Either she was going to tell me now in this very hallway or she was going to tell me back in my room, one way or the other. 

"All right. I suppose it was important enough, seeing as how I've never seen this happen before, but you get yourself right back to bed. You'll never get well at this rate, Minamoto-kun." she chided firmly. 

I flushed slightly at her scolding me in front of the others, but allowed Duncan and Extor to lead the way back to my room with her following behind the three of us. Somehow, I was beginning to feel that perhaps I could rest now, that I would have a chance to fight and I would have it soon. I sighed a little as I climbed back into bed and shooed Extor away as he tried to put those sticky things on my chest again, not relishing the idea of having them tugging at my bare skin so roughly whenever I tried to move. 

"But without them, we can't monitor your progress." he stated in protest. 

"I will be fine without them. I am alive, am breathing, there is no need to monitor me. I have no intention of dying anytime soon, friend." 

"All right. But the minute anything changes..." 

"I know. You will know if anything does." 

Reluctantly, both he and Duncan left me alone with Chimitsu, clearly worried about me even though there was nothing to really be worried about. I may have been seriously ill only a few days ago, but I was awake and determined to get well as quickly as I could so I could fight again. Ekirei was going to pay sooner or later for her attempts on our lives and causing the suffering of so many innocents, just as my dark twin would. 

All of them would fall for their treachery, along with their master, Aku. 

"A penny for your thoughts." 

I turned as Chimitsu sat down next to me on the bed, brushing a few strands of hair out of my eyes. I sighed a little and leaned back against the pillow, trying not to scrunch up my face with the tickle of my hair brushing against my nose as she pushed it up out of my face. I did not like being so helpless, but enjoyed her company nonetheless. 

"Just thinking about the Star of the Elements." I told her. 

"What about it?" 

I regarded her carefully as she looked down at me tenderly, even protectively like a mother would. I knew full well what had caused the four Points that had belonged to her sisters to activate, but I had yet to figure out why it was hers had activated when she was alive and had not done so. It was very odd and puzzling that I knew I was missing something somehow, but could not manage to figure out what. 

"I wonder if I know how it activated. All but your Wind Point, that is. I think I can explain the others." I informed her. 

"How?" 

"Your sisters." 

Chimitsu instantly paled, one slim hand going up to her mouth in complete, utter shock. Her eyes misted over and I immediately regretted breaking her heart with the memories, even though I had no choice. It was becoming quite clear that the Star's power had begun to activate because of the visitations I had experienced while I was comatose. 

"That's impossible. Jack, my sisters are all dead." she murmured quietly. 

"I know. I am sorry, Chimitsu-chan. I saw them in my mind while I was in the coma you told me I was in. They came to me, showed me their final memories and invoked the power of their Points within me. I do not know how, it is just a feeling I have." 

Her hand slowly slid from her mouth and she wrapped her arms around herself tightly. I slowly sat up as she lowered her head, watching a few tears trickle down her cheeks, and I began to wonder just how much she knew about her sisters' gruesome deaths. Carefully, I slipped my arms around her and pulled her close to comfort her before she slowly pulled free of my grasp and wiped at her eyes, pushing the memories back into the depths of her mind. 

"I see. That would explain it, yes. They couldn't do it face to face with you when they're dead, but the power comes from your heart, so all they'd really need is to contact your spirit. It's entirely possible." she finally replied. 

She sat there in silence for a moment, as if she was contemplating something that I had said or she had just thought of. I slowly laid back down and watched her, seeing a flicker of thoughtfulness cross her lovely features. Something was not making sense to her and I could just about guess what it was. 

"But...my Point, the Wind Point?" she asked, turning her head towards me. 

I sighed a little, wishing that I knew what to tell her. It could have been anything, from a group effort on her sisters' part or a subconscious invocation between the two of us. Anything was possible considering how concerned she was for me and how I feared not being able to protect her while in the state I was currently in. 

"I do not know. I did not know that the Points had even activated until I had awakened and found it glowing like that. I know they activated the power inside of me and somehow...your Point's power has been activated as well." I told her. 

Her delicate brow creased as she considered this, still not entirely convinced, at least not where her Point was concerned. She reached up with one hand and rubbed at her temple as she sighed, clearly unable to come up with a suitable answer. As much as I would have liked to have helped her figure it out, I had less to go on than she did when she was the one who knew the most about the amulet's power. 

"There must be another way to activate it because I haven't dared to try to invoke the power in you myself. I'd have to meditate on it awhile to even remotely guess at what caused it to do this." she finally told me, the frustration evident in her voice. 

I nodded a little, staring at the sheets with an inaudible sigh of frustration. I did not dare tell her about the dream I had about her dying at my hand or that of Mad Jack, not wanting to worry her, especially when I did not know what the dream meant or which katana had impaled her dream self. Was it the one I carried or its dark twin that lay in the hands of Mad Jack? 

I was beginning to wonder if that vision had not invoked the power of the Wind Point without Chimitsu's help. I had reacted strongly enough with shock and anguish when I had seen the vision of her death that it could have been possible to somehow subconsciously invoke the Wind Point's power. Perhaps it was even the other four Points reacting to my heart and invoking it without my knowledge, at least until I had awakened and spoken to Chimitsu. 

I knew that Chimitsu's sisters had physically invoked the power through their spirit forms while I had been in the coma, that I had no question of. It was not just an emotional reaction for the first four Points, but an awakening of power that had slept within me by her four sisters. How the last bit of sleeping power had been awakened without her help, I was not entirely certain, but my best guess had to be that it was a reaction to what I had felt in my heart. 

I sighed a little as she set the amulet aside again, wishing that I could be certain what had caused the Wind Point to activate. She looked at me almost motherly, but there was something hiding within her piercing eyes that I could not read when it was buried within her protective gaze. With a playful smile, however, she reached up, plucked a feather out of her wing, and began to tickle my feet with it. 

Instantly, I squirmed, trying to keep her hand away, but the feathers were so large that she did not have to reach far to tickle my feet and still keep her hand out of range of my flailing hands. 

"Chimitsu-chan! Stop it! That tickles!" I cried, all thoughts of our previous conversation gone with her playful distraction. 

She grinned and blocked my arms with the one that was not attacking my bare feet with the feather, much to my consternation. Eventually, she moved up to my stomach and I gasped at the feeling she invoked with the feather, quickly snatching up her wrists in my hands, watching her drop the feather on my chest. I had not exactly minded the sensation, but her feather had reminded me of something else that had been on my mind. 

"What is it? I didn't hurt you, did I?" she asked, the concerned expression returning to her lovely features. 

"No. That feather simply reminded me of something." 

"Oh?" 

"Your wings." 

Her brow furrowed in confusion as she slowly sat up. She had not expected me to ask her about her wings, but I had suddenly remembered something that I had forgotten to ask her about earlier. Now that I had seen how her sisters had died and had the Star's power invoked within my soul, I realized that something else had been missed when we first met and I could not have known until now. 

"My wings? Minamoto-chan, I already told you how I recovered them." she murmured quietly. 

"I know, but I just now thought of something else. Back when we first met, your back had been torn open like it had been slashed with a giant claw. Obviously Aku's work, but your wings had nearly lost all their feathers. Why had you not lost your wings then? Why not lose all your power and become human then instead of as you did for that brief time?" 

Her eyes lit up and the confused expression melted from her lovely features when she realized what I had been asking. I had not thought about it before, but now that I knew that her sisters had perished protecting the Star and she had escaped Aku's attempt on her life, it was beginning to all fit together. They did not have wings and she did and they had perished, even though they had been immortal. 

So why had she escaped to live another day and they died at his hands? 

"Oh. That. Well, that was because my power wasn't strained at the same time my wings had been shredded. I had enough power left in me to heal them before I lost them. This last time, I'd been straining myself for some time and didn't have the power necessary to heal the wings. That's why they fell off this time and not the first time we'd met." she informed me. 

"Then, if you were not in human form the first time I saw you in that village, how was it that your wings regenerated?" 

"They didn't regenerate. I can draw them into my back whenever I wish, although it's difficult to do so, so I generally just leave them out. Most people see weirder things than a woman with wings on her back so they don't say too much about me. They probably think I'm some sort of bird mutant hybrid or something. I knew you had ignored the wings when you first saw me, so I kept them in my back to keep from startling you." 

She did not seem to realize that her wings had not bothered me at all when we had met. I had been more concerned with getting her to safety away from the bounty hunters than what she was. I had simply chosen to ignore the wings for the moment and ask later when we were no longer in danger. 

"I did not ignore them. I knew that I could stand there and ask you about them and be destroyed by the bounty hunters or hurry with you out of there and ask later." I told her. 

She chuckled softly and leaned down to kiss my forehead again. 

"Oh, Minamoto-kun...you're so sweet." she murmured with a quiet chuckle. 

I sighed a little and watched her for a moment before she stood, the bed shifting a little when she moved. 

"Chimitsu-chan?" I asked softly. 

"Yes?" 

"Would it be possible for me to train a bit sometime soon? I fear that if I have been unconscious for a month, I will need to build up some of my strength again, especially if I am to face my twin again." 

"Oh, don't you worry about that now. You just concern yourself with resting and getting better and we'll deal with you returning to your training when you're healthy enough for it." 

I sighed a little, disappointed with her answer, but it was better than being told I could not train at all. With a little patience, I would recover faster and soon be able to fight again. Then I would no longer have a reason to worry and would not feel so damn useless. 

"Arigatou. I will need to begin training soon if we are to ever have a chance against them." I told her. 

"I know, young one. I know. For now...rest. I will see you in the morning." 

"Oyasumi." 

She smiled and the light went out as she left, enveloping me in darkness. Once the door had clicked shut behind Chimitsu, I gave a soft sigh and curled up under the warm blankets, falling asleep once more. 


	31. Sanjuu: Intensive Training

I stood alone on the cool, dewy grass in my fundoshi, doing katas this world had not seen since long before Aku's arrival. No longer feeling shaky after my long sickness, I moved swiftly and silently through the grass, slashing over and over again at the air with my katana. Again and again I repeated the katas until I no longer made any mistakes. I wanted absolute certainty that I could do each one in perfection and not miss a single step. 

Until I could achieve that, I was not about to let myself proceed in my exercises, much less fight my dark twin. 

Most mornings, I was awake before anyone else in the compound, including Chimitsu. I never woke any of the others, going alone with my katana to the garden to train while they slept. Sooner or later, they would find me, but rarely would they disturb me unless they absolutely needed to, knowing that I needed to train. I had made it explicitly clear that we could not afford to have me lose a moment of time in my training when we had lost so much time while I had been ill. 

This morning was no different than any of the others. 

As I began another kata, I thought back to several days ago, when I had finally been allowed to leave my bed and begin training to regain my strength once more. Now I spent a majority of my time in Extor's indoor garden, practicing my katas over and over again, weak at first, but growing stronger and stronger the more I trained. I rarely took any time to stop, doing so only to sleep, eat, bathe, and occasionally when Chimitsu begged me to stop and give my body a rest. 

Repeating the kata, I thought back to the last time I had fought Mad Jack and Ekirei and to when she had struck me down with a surprise attack that had left me ill for over a month. I wanted to be at full strength when I faced them again, not wanting to make the same mistake again. Twice I had fallen to him and his partner, Ekirei, and it was one time too many. 

Perhaps the first time, he had caught me off guard, but the second time was inexcuseable. 

Over and over again, I repeated the kata, going faster and faster until I could feel the sweat trickling down my bare back. I felt more than a little ashamed that I had allowed myself to be tricked twice and the thought only made me move faster and faster with the kata. My father would never have made such a lethal mistake and I considered myself exceptionally fortunate that I lived to regret my mistake. 

There was no way I should have fallen to that blue orb so foolishly. 

I had been so focused on Mad Jack that I had let my guard down and had not seen it coming, which was more than inexcusable for me on any level. No samurai dares to focus on only one opponent at a time or he risks leaving himself open to attacks from others. I had been taught from a very young age not to completely rely on others to watch my back but to watch it myself and be aware of my surroundings. 

I was used to fighting alone without anyone to watch my back in this hellish future ruled by Aku and would never consider relying completely on anyone besides myself. Teamwork was crucial, yes, but to completely rely on your teammates to watch your back without watching it a little yourself was as foolish as trying to fight alone without the team. Balance between watching your own back and your friends' backs was the key in any situation and if you did not have any backup, then you would have to be twice as vigilant. 

My foolishness in wishing revenge on my double, however momentary, had cost me greatly and innocents were now paying for it with their lives. My heart felt heavy as I thought of all those souls filled with hope for a future of freedom dying at the hands of the Dark Elementals before they saw it and slowed for a moment in my kata before tightening my grip on my katana and slashing down to the left, down to the right, side slashing to the left, then upwards to the right and then sideways again to take the head of an invisible opponent. Until I had atoned for my mistakes by destroying Aku, the souls of the innocents lost would never be able to rest. 

As I began to repeat the kata, I thought back to what I had seen on the picture set Chimitsu-chan had called a television shortly after I had awakened in the lab and again, my resolve to fight wavered a bit. So many innocents suffering and dying needlessly that I began to wonder if all this fighting was worth the price the world would have to pay to see Aku's demise at my hands. I knew that I did not want to see such pain and suffering and chaos ever again so long as I lived, especially the children. 

It broke my heart more than anything else to see the young children crying and screaming in fear, clinging to their mothers and fathers while death and destruction rained down upon them while the hero they cried out to lay unable to hear their cries for help. 

I sighed softly as I finished the kata I was working on with a right handed, reverse side slash towards my back, the sweat rolling down my back and face from the effort. My muscles were beginning to ache, but pain was nothing to me as I began the next kata with a downward lunging slash. I could think of nothing else but getting stronger so those tormented, innocent souls would no longer have to cry out in vain to be saved from the chaos caused by Aku and his Dark Elementals. 

I stepped back into the stance I had started with, taking in several slow, deep breaths before lunging forward again, striking down, left, right, sideways, down again, up, over and over again. I did not need to see, keeping my eyes closed and picturing minions, droids, and Dark Elementals in my head as I moved fluidly from one kata to the next. Again and again I repeated the kata until I was certain I had perfected it from start to finish. 

Suddenly, I became aware of another's presence nearby and instinctively whirled around to strike them as they approached. I realized too late that it was Chimitsu-chan and felt a brief moment of panic rise in my chest upon realizing that I would be unable to stop my katana on its course before it struck her neck. Flashes of that dream came back to me in those few seconds, seeing her fighting the shadow creature, her raising the nodachi, then her being impaled upon my blade. 

My blood turned to ice and for a moment, I thought that I was about to make that horrible nightmare a terrifying reality as my katana came closer and closer to her ivory skin. Chimitsu-chan seemed hardly ruffled by my attack and reached out with one slim hand, catching my wrist to stop the blade's motion before it came even close to her neck. I stared for a few seconds as she held my wrist firmly where she had stopped it, my katana's razor sharp edge just a few scant inches from her bare neck. 

"Good morning, Minamoto-chan." she greeted cheerfully with a smile, despite the blade so close to her neck. 

After a few moments of shocked silence from me, she let go of my wrist and I quickly lowered the blade, making sure that the sharp edge was aimed away from her. The flashes of memory back to the nightmare I had of her dying upon my blade had shaken me and I slowly sheathed my katana before I dropped it. I had yet to determine what that dream meant and had not had it since, though its images haunted my memories with its elusiveness. 

I had not dared to tell anyone about it, but I did not have to to consider it a bad omen. 

"Chimitsu-chan..." I replied softly with a short nod. 

"I apologize for the interruption, but, well, you looked so darn lonely out here that I wondered if you would like a sparring partner." 

I paused in surprise at her request, having never sparred with a woman in my life. In my time, women simply did not become warriors and were forbidden from even carrying or touching a sword most of the time. Chimitsu-chan was hardly a typical human female and I had seen her fight before, yet I was still hesitant out of habit. 

"I...are you certain?" I asked. 

"Of course. Wouldn't be askin' you if I wasn't, now, would I?" 

I flushed slightly, embarrassed to even think that she would not want to spar with me. It made just as much sense as anything else that she would want to. She wanted to hone her own fighting skills and help me hone mine at the same time. 

"All right, if you are certain." I cautioned. 

"I am certain." 

She unsheathed the nodachi from her back and it was then that I first noticed that her wings were absent, clearly pulled back into her body to keep them out of the way while she fought. Instead of her usual Chinese print dress, she wore a pure white fighting gi, making her pale looks even more delicate. She simply smiled and held the heavy nodachi in a ready position upon making a bow. 

I returned it and readied myself, unsheathing my katana before holding it out before myself. She looked so confident and yet I felt so uncertain, wondering if she really could hold her own in battle against me. We circled each other and it was clear that she was waiting for me to make the first attack, but I could not bring myself to do so out of respect to the fact that she was a woman and I did not willingly strike women if I could help it. 

As if she had read my expression or perhaps even my very thoughts, she lunged in and struck, forcing me to block. Immediately I countered, but my heart was simply not in it. She was a woman and my friend and I could not fight her for any reason, even if it was a spar. 

Chimitsu was relentless, however, at least as far as a spar went. She had no problem whatsoever in fighting me, slashing with the nodachi as swiftly the wind. I blocked and tried to strike back to test the knowledge of the katas I had just practiced, yet I still hesitated more than I should have. 

"Ah!" 

A sharp kick to my chin spun me around and sent me to the ground hard, my katana clattering a few inches from where I was sprawled facedown on the grass. Chimitsu stood over me, her expression concerned, yet quite stern and showing her displeasure at my lack of will to fight. It was almost as if I was looking up at my father when he had given me a few lessons as a child. 

"Jack! Why did you hold out on me?" she snapped sharply. 

"You are a woman. I cannot fight you." 

"You can fight Ekirei." 

I furrowed my brow and groaned slightly as I pushed myself up to rest upon my elbows in the grass. I did not like that she was insinuating that I had insulted her when I had not meant to in any way. Granted that this was no longer my home time or country, I was certainly not used to regularly fighting women for any reason. 

I knew that Chimitsu-chan was not human despite her looks and that she was perfectly capable of fighting me, but old habits die hard. I was not quite used to the notion that ladies learned to defend themselves with swords and guns like men and was more than a little frustrated that Chimitsu-chan failed to understand that was why I had difficulty fighting her. Ekirei, on the other hand, while she was female, also attacked me first and forced me to defend myself, which canceled out my no fighting women rule. 

"There is a difference! She is the enemy, she attacks me first and gives me no choice but to fight!" I snapped back. 

My answer was clearly not enough to satisfy her and I could sense her frustration with me increase. She was not going to accept it and kicked my katana by its hilt over to me just inches from where I was looking at the blades of grass. I watched it skid through the dirt before it came to a stop in front of me and narrowed my eyes at such disrespect for a warrior's weapon. 

"Pull yourself together, Minamoto-chan! Get up and fight me! Just because I am a woman does not mean that I am weaker or less skilled than you are! You have seen me fight, you know I can handle you, now get up off your ass and fight!" she barked. 

Her words were harsh and comanding, and a big part of me did not like being spoken to in such a manner by a woman. Nobody but my mother had ever used such a tone with me and my mother had certainly been more polite than Chimitsu had been just now. I knew she meant well, that she had only been so rude as to goad me and get me riled up enough to fight, but perhaps that really was all that was needed. 

With a snarl, I grabbed my katana and got to my feet, slashing at her viciously over and over again. I had no intention on hurting her if I could help it, but if she wanted me to fight, then I would fight. She blocked easily, almost as if she was toying with me, and I realized that she was going easy on me. 

I frowned and struck harder and faster, trying to get her to fight me with everything she had. I did not like that she was telling me to go all out when she had no intention of doing so herself. I did not care that she was immortal and not human and could overpower me, I wanted her to give me the respect and honor of fighting with all her strength as I fought her. 

"Chimitsu-chan...if I must give my all...then you must give yours." I gasped between breaths. 

"I can't do that. If I were to fight with all my strength and skill, I'd kill you. I fight enough to give you a challenge. That should be more than enough for you." 

I sighed and lowered my blade, feeling the disappointment rise in my chest. It was not right for her to go so easy on me when I knew that the Dark Elementals and certainly Aku would not in a real battle. It would not do me any good to fight an Elemental making it easy for me and not know just how well I could do against one at full power. 

"I am sorry. I just do not feel it is right for you to tell me to fight with everything I had, but not give me the honor of doing the same." I told her firmly, the disappointment clear in my voice. 

She looked at me, an almost sorrowful look in her eyes. I could tell that she wanted to help me and fight with all her strength, but for some reason I had yet to understand, she had held back. I knew she had her reasons for doing so, but at that moment, it did not matter as much as learning to defend myself against an Elemental's full power. 

"I know. I can't use all my power to fight, even in just a friendly spar, it'd be too much for a mortal. I'll bring my levels up to the point of difficulty for you, but I will not go much over or I fear I may hurt you and I can't do that, not when you've spent all this time recovering." she told me, a hint of regret echoing in her voice. 

I furrowed my brow a little as I considered her words, debating on whether or not I should continue the spar with her if she was not going to use her full power. It was true that she could easily overpower or kill me accidentally in a friendly spar and that would not be good, but I was not entirely certain that her using enough power to only make it difficult for me would do any more good than if she went easy on me. I hated being pitied and patronized by a woman, even if it was Chimitsu-chan and for a good reason, feeling mildly insulted in her insinuation that I could not handle a woman in a friendly spar. 

Even so, I could understand that she did not want to kill me when she had done so much to get me this far and I knew that she would not let me down in terms of giving me a good fight. She may not be using her full power, but she was going to help me by using enough to make it difficult and I knew that I had not encountered anyone besides Aku who had ever given me serious difficulty in a fight since coming here. I allowed a small smile to cross my lips in knowing that she was protecting me out of pure honesty in knowing her powers in proportion to my own because we both knew that she could and would hurt me seriously if I forced her to use all her power. 

I was no use to this world dead and I could not be insulted by her honest concern for helping me without killing me at the same time. It was important that I fight an Elemental at close to their full power to prepare myself for the final battles with Aku and the Dark Elementals, but it was equally important that I did not get killed in the process. The one thing we could not allow was Aku's continued domination of this world and if stopping him in the end meant that I would have to face Chimitsu at partial power now, then that would be good enough. 

"Sounds fair enough." I told her. 

We bowed and resumed our stances before charging at each other again, blades slicing through the air. The force of the blocks and strikes the heavy nodachi jarred me to the bone each time, but I welcomed the feeling. She was stronger than I was by a long shot, but she would be an excellent teacher to drive me to regain my full strength. 

However, there was one lesson, I had yet to practice. 

After some time, I halted the spar and stood back to catch my breath, watching Chimitsu lower her nodachi. She had not yet broken a sweat or appeared tired and I suppose that made her even more the best person for the job of helping me prepare for facing Aku. She could go for longer than I could without breaking a sweat or tiring and practiced while I rested. 

If only I could be that strong, then Aku would have been vanquished long ago. 

"What is it, Minamoto-chan?" she asked. 

"We have gone through every kata and move that I know, but there is one thing I have not practiced in some time and cannot do without a partner." 

"Oh?" 

"Would you be so kind as to hand me the strip of cloth I keep in the sleeve of my kimono?" 

She made a gesture and teleported the long white cloth into her hand. 

"This?" she asked. 

"Yes." 

She handed it over and I set my katana down long enough to tie it over my eyes, effectively blocking out everything I could see. I knelt down again and picked up my blade, carefully testing its weight in my hands. It felt slightly different, but not much as my remaining senses began to sharpen to take the place of my blocked sight. 

"Jack, you're crazy. Blindfighting me? I could kill you!" she cried. 

I smiled faintly at her words, knowing that while she could easily kill me, she would not do so on purpose. I trusted her completely in that moment and knew that she knew it as well. I knew her too well to think that she would allow herself to kill me accidentally. 

"You could, but you will not. I trust you and the fact that I know what I am doing." I told her. 

"Great Goddess, you're insane. It's impossible to fight like that!" 

"No, it is not. I have done it before. All I must do is be in complete tune with my body." 

I heard her take a step back into her stance with her nodachi in hand, sensing the nervousness radiating from her. I was mildly surprised that she had never seen this done before when the practice of blindfighting had been around long before even my father had been born and she was far older than either myself or my father. How could she have not seen others do this and perfect it long before I had even been born? 

"Are you ready, Chimitsu-chan?" I asked. 

"I still don't know about this." 

"Do you trust me?" 

"What?" 

"Do you trust me?" 

"Of course I trust you, Jack, I trust you more than anyone I know." 

"Then attack me." 

"I...I can't...I'll hurt you!" 

"Remember when you told me to "get off my ass and fight"? I politely ask the same of you now. Pick up your nodachi and attack me." 

I allowed a small smirk to form upon my lips, feeling a little bit satisfied to know that I had managed to turn her own words on her. 

I could clearly hear her swallow and shift the heavy nodachi in her hands as she moved to attack. It was clear that she had never seen this done before or she would have mastered it herself centuries ago. With the weight of the heavy blade in her hands, I could hear her every move and as graceful and swift as she was, I could still hear her quite clearly. 

I could hear the air whistling as the heavy blade came down towards me and I took a step back, bringing up my katana to block. As expected, the two blades met and I could sense her shock without needing to see it on her face. I could almost smell the instant change in her emotions from shock to frustration, realizing that she thought it was beginner's luck. 

With a soft chuckle, I made my attack, pushing her blade up and slashing down to the left towards her midsection. She blocked of course, and again I was rewarded with the short intake of breath that was a quiet expression of her surprise. I chuckled again as she attacked over and over again, hearing each and every one of her strikes, her footsteps, even the breath in her chest as she exhaled in frustration. 

"Chimitsu-chan...my dear angel...you are going to have to stop breathing so loudly if you want to catch me by surprise. I can hear every move you make." I taunted gently. 

"That's impossible. I'm not hardly breathing at all." 

"Oh, but you are. I can hear it. I can hear your movements, every one of them you make. Your nodachi weighs you down." 

She went completely silent and I could hardly hear her move through the grass now. Perhaps she had heard of blindfighting after all or perhaps she simply had trained herself to muffle her movements, but it was still not enough, even for the Wind Elemental. I could still faintly hear her and the movements of her arms since they were still weighted down with the heavy nodachi. 

I could smell the scent of wind that always accompanied her as she moved behind me, very close, but not so close she could not make an accurate strike towards my back. I was going to give her the appearance of not knowing where she had gone and pretended that I had failed to hear her. I could sense her raising the nodachi, preparing herself for pulling the blow at the last minute if it seemed that I had indeed failed to hear her. 

I could hear a soft whistling as the nodachi came down, slicing the air, and at the last possible second, I whirled around, blocking with my katana. Chimitsu audibly gasped that time and quickly backed away, lowering the nodachi. A second later, I heard it sliding into its sheath on her back and I reached up, removing the blindfold. 

"What is wrong?" I asked, disappointed that she had stopped so soon. 

"That...is the most incredible thing I've ever seen in my life. I've never, ever seen anyone block so quickly like that before." 

"You have never seen blindfighting in action?" 

"No. Heard of it, rumors from the East that some warriors who trained intensely enough could do it, but never, ever have I faced it. It was almost as if you predicted the move and waited until the last moment to block." 

I smiled faintly, realizing that she did not have a clue just how right she was in her assumption. I had predicted her attack simply by hearing her movements and knew when to time my block before it hit me. It was more than a little amusing to know that I had managed to catch the Wind Elemental completely off her guard with my mortal knowledge. 

"Truthfully, Chimitsu-chan...that was exactly what I did. I could hear you raise the blade, I could smell you behind me...that cool scent of spring rain on the wind...everything. I knew where you were going to strike." I told her. 

A thoughtful look crossed her face before she smiled faintly and nodded, finally understanding just how it was that I had managed such a feat. It had taken me many years to perfect, but my ability to fight without seeing had served me well since coming here to Aku's future. Perhaps it would even serve me well in the final battle with the demon. 

"I see. Well, perhaps that's enough sparring for today." 

I blinked a little and gave her a confused look, surprised that she had decided that this was enough for the day when she had told me that I needed to train hard just a few moments earlier. I was a bit disappointed that she was chosing to end it and decided that perhaps I would simply continue on without her as I had been doing these last few days. I would not be satisfied in my training until I was absolutely certain I could stand up to the Dark Elementals. 

I sighed a little and sheathed my katana, deciding to practice some empty handed katas. Suddenly, I felt a bit uneasy and tensed slightly, looking around carefully for any sign of danger. Chimitsu gently rested a hand on my shoulder and I turned to look at her, seeing concern in her emerald eyes. 

"What is it?" she asked. 

I paused and furrowed my brow a little, not really certain _what_ it was that was making me feel so uneasy. Something was very very wrong, but it was not in the immediate area. It was further away and I was unable to tell right away just what was causing such a feeling. 

"I am not entirely sure, just feeling uneasy all of a sudden. I think I shall meditate for a little while before going back inside." I told her. 

She nodded a little and gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze before slowly letting go. I could tell that she was worried about my words, but said nothing, knowing that until I could tell what it was, there was nothing we could do. I was certain she knew it, too, and knew that she would let me be while I tried to find the source of what was bothering me. 

"All right. I'll see you in a bit, then." she replied. 

She quietly left and I headed over to the spring, stripping down and stepping in, sighing at the feeling of the cool water surrounding my feet. Extor had been reluctant to allow me to use the spring and had relented only when Chimitsu had explained that I was more comfortable with nature than machines for such things. On occasion, I had allowed her to give me sponge baths before I had recovered enough to take care of myself, but I still did not much care for showers. They could never compare with the feeling of a waterfall rushing down around me. 

With a sigh, I lowered myself into the spring, letting its waters cool me down as I began to focus in on the uneasiness I was feeling. It was so strange that I could feel so tense when I knew that I was safe from Aku's reach within this compound. It was not me that was under attack, but someone else, someone far away from here crying out for me to help them. 

A cry for help that I was unable to ignore, but why I felt such a powerful cry so far away, I was not certain. 

Suddenly, I realized that it had been some time since we had heard anything from Mad Jack or Eki and I was beginning to fear that he had sensed that I was growing stronger. If that was the case, then there was no telling what he was capable of doing to get my attention. 

As I focused on him, I could feel that he was up to something somewhere, but I did not know what or where. It was entirely possible that he was the cause of my uneasy feeling and I knew that he would not show himself on television to get my attention. It would be relatively easy for me to reach along our connection and find him, to reach into the depths of his mind and see what he was up to. 

Taking in several deep breaths, I felt for the connection and calmed the rest of my mind so I could find it. I reached along its path, making my way to my double and into the depths of his mind, trying to figure out what he was up to. It did not matter if he knew I was there or not when I had a feeling he knew all this time that I had recovered and perhaps he had gone out to cause some havoc because of it. 

_You are trying to draw me out, are you not, Mad Jack?_

I took in several more breaths and focused on what he was doing. I could sense images of the big city in my mind and could almost smell the scent of the flying vehicles and metal of the buildings. I almost could hear the sounds of crimes that took place in the darker areas of the city, the events that I knew ensued there and around the world. 

No, crime was not what was pulling at me. That sort of thing I had known about for some time now and none of it was cause for me to seek out my double. There was something else, if only I could find it. 

Finally, it hit me in full force. 

_ I found myself standing in the middle of a city square in the dead of night, surrounded by the brutal chaos of death and destruction. All the lights that had always shown so brightly had gone out and plunged the city into pitch darkness that permeated every street and alleyway. It was eerily quiet and I kept my left hand upon my katana as I looked around, a feeling of impending doom closing in all around me. _

Glass from the many broken windows of the buildings crunched under my sandals as I proceeded down the street alone, knowing that my dark twin was not far away. The sharp scent of smoke stung at my nostrils from somewhere to the east, riding on the winds that howled between the buildings. I tensed as I proceeded further down the street, not certain what I would find around the next corner. 

Suddenly, as I drew near to another plaza, the shadowy figures of humans and aliens alike in all shapes and sizes raced by and the plaza erupted in maddening, destructive chaos. Faceless masses that were screaming and crying out in many different languages amongst the chaos that rained down around us. Explosions, glass shattering, fires, flying chariots plummeting from the sky to land on the pavement in great fireballs that shot up towards the heavens, all sorts of destruction. The smell of blood hung in the air, but I had yet to spot my dark twin. 

Cold worry filled my chest as I made my way through the masses in hopes of finding him before he caused any more damage here. 

I found him down a few blocks from where the chaos had begun, standing over a group of small shadowy shapes, all huddled together and shaking with fear as he drew close. I watched as he raised his katana over his head and dashed forward, hoping that I would be able to block in time before he struck them all down. I could only watch helplessly as the silvery blade came down and the vision was shattered by a splash of blood. 

I gasped and opened my eyes, shaking and panting with the shock of the brutality of the vision I had just witnessed. By the gods...all those innocents, killed in a flash of silver and blood. He and the others created such chaos to not only draw me out, but so they could feed off it and fuel their lust for such destruction. 

I closed my eyes and clenched my fists at my side, knowing that I was far from ready to face Mad Jack now. I was not quite strong enough to fight him off and I knew that had to be why he chose now to leave this calling card to draw me out and force me to fight. He knew that once I sensed what he was up to, I would have to go and investigate and stop it, regardless of whether or not I was completely ready to face him. 

This destruction had gone on too long and we had to stop it. We had to stop it now. 

I quickly rose from the spring and stepped back onto dry land, dressing in my clothes as quickly as I could, not caring that I was still soaking wet. I tucked my katana into my obi as I made my way out of the garden area and back into the main compound, looking around to see which way to go to find Chimitsu. I turned to the left and hurried down the hall to where I knew the cafeteria to be, knowing that she would be there enjoying a meal after such a heavy workout with me. 

I pushed the door open and stepped inside, earning a stare from Chimitsu and Extor. Indeed, they had both been eating and were equally startled by my sudden appearance in the room, knowing that I did not leave my training or meditations unless it was absolutely necessary. Chimitsu slowly lowered her fork and rose from her chair, her expression becoming rapidly concerned. 

"Minamoto-chan?" she asked. 

I focused my gaze on them both, feeling my heart race in a concerned panic as I knew that countless innocent lives would be lost before I was able to get to the city and stop the destruction. Clearly, neither one had sensed what I had seen in my meditation, or they would not have been sitting there having a casual lunch together. I knew that this was the beginning of the war that I had dreaded all along and that I had to tell them about the terrifying visions I had seen before any more time and lives were lost. 

"We must head to the city. Mad Jack is there and I fear that he is killing innocents amongst all the chaos he and the others are causing." 


	32. Sanjuuichi: Massacre

Wow, been a long time since I managed an update. I deeply apologize for the long hiatus. Probably should have put up a notice, but I had one very busy summer and never got around to it. On top of that, my poor editor has had constant computer problems in one way or another and I wasn't going to have her edit my work while she worried about losing hers. 

She has managed to edit a couple of chapters for me(this being one of them, and 32 should be on the way when I get time) and until I know for certain how steady her schedule is, I can't guarantee continuous updates like I hoped. 

I do, however, have the ENTIRE fic of War of Shadows done, it's just not edited yet. Slowly but surely, it WILL get posted, so just stay tuned and watch for updates. Enjoy! - TN 

* * *

Extor set down his coffee mug and Chimitsu stood, walking over to me. I could see the deep worry in her emerald eyes that matched my own amongst concern as to whether or not I was well enough to fight again. I was concerned as well, but it did not matter whether or not I was ready. Our time was up. 

"Minamoto-kun..." 

"Please," I implored her. "We have to leave immediately. A teleport would be the fastest." 

"All right." 

"Extor, thank you again for all your help. We greatly appreciate it." 

He nodded as Chimitsu quickly took ahold of my hands, wrapped her wings about us, and sent us on our way. I had yet to get completely used to the concept of suddenly disappearing and reappearing, but we had no time to travel by any other means. Mad Jack had extended a cruel invitation that we had no choice but to accept. 

Dozens of people were suddenly around us, screaming and running aimlessly in a panic. Buildings were on fire and many had their windows shattered, the glass littering the streets and sidewalks. A few cars had been overturned and some had been set on fire, making this city more hellish than it usually seemed to me. 

"Oh my god," Chimitsu breathed, one hand raising to her mouth as she took the scene in. 

I stood frozen in place, unable to speak or move as the shock of what I saw began to sink in. It did not matter which way I looked, I saw chaos and terror enveloping the city and its suffering people. None of them seemed to notice us standing there as they ran about in their terrified panic, all too concerned about themselves. 

A child stood beside a telephone pole with an overstuffed plush puppy clutched tight in his hand, his face red from crying as he continued to sob. A woman knelt beside the still, fallen form of a man that had to be her husband and wailed in anguish at the sight of a deep, burnt stain on his crisp white shirt. Blood occasionally splattered and streaked the streets along burnt areas, illuminated by the occasional shower of sparks from the utility poles overhead. 

I gasped as I felt something slam into me and latch onto my kimono with an iron grip. I whirled around instinctively, expecting Aku or Mad Jack, my breath catching in my throat as I came face to face with the pale, pained face of a man I did not even know. His hands and face and clothes were streaked with blood as he stared pleadingly into my eyes. 

I could tell that he was going to die soon, although slowly judging by the amount of blood that covered him. I could not even tell where he had been wounded at, it covered his body so thoroughly. Despite having lost so much blood, he clung desperately to the collar of my kimono with so much strength that I could not pull away. 

His mouth opened and closed in an attempt to speak but only a sickening gurgle escaped instead of words. Blood trickled out of his mouth as his grip loosened and he finally sank to the ground, streaking my kimono with blood. I took a step back in shock, my heart aching at the realization that we could not possibly help all of those still left alive in the city. 

And then, somehow, amongst all the chaos, we heard the sound of a baby crying nearby. We walked towards the sound in an attempt to locate it and found the child crying in its mother's arms in an alley. The woman had a bullet wound to the head and had been dead for a short while there, protecting her baby to the last. 

"We have to save him," Chimitsu stated, not giving any room for arguement. 

She picked up the child and cradled him into her arms, holding her protectively against her breast. He sobbed and wailed for his mother for a few moments more before settling down and curling against Chimitsu. 

As we moved deeper and deeper into the heart of the city, we began to see that even more hellish scenes awaited us besides burnt out vehicles and buildings. Bodies littered the area more frequently, some simply lying still in the street, while others had been brutally torn apart. Male, female, young, old, the carnage had clearly been indiscriminate when it chose its victims. 

Chimitsu stayed close to me, keeping her nodachi strapped to her back and the child safe in her arms. I took her hand and led her down the street as the smell of death hung in the air, sending chills down my back. I had faced countless minions of Aku and Mad Jack before, but there was something different about this. 

As we rounded the corner, we caught sight of Mad Jack standing over the bleeding, mutilated forms of what had once been a group of schoolchildren. Chimitsu immediately pressed her face into my back with a choked cry and I swallowed hard, trying to force my rage down as I clenched my fist at my side. 

By the gods... 

"Ahh...at last you come!" he cried. 

He let the body he had been holding slip from his grasp to the ground as he turned toward us. He wore an expression of twisted delight, warping his features into a mask that was as hellish as the scene around us. He was covered in blood and I made sure to keep myself between Chimitsu and this demon that stood before us. 

"What in the name of the gods have you done, Mad Jack?!" I shouted, barely able to contain my fury. 

"What was necessary to draw you out." 

He licked a streak of blood from a fingertip and slowly approached us, his eyes empty and clouded with bloodlust. 

"I knew you hadn't succumbed to Ekirei's spell, but couldn't find you, so I did what I had to to bring you out of hiding." 

I could feel my body tremble with rage, his words boiling my blood. He had done this all to draw us out for an attack? I could not bring myself to believe that completely, knowing that there had to be more to it than what he was telling us. 

"Why?!" I demanded. "Why the children?!" 

He stopped and flicked a few strands of hair over his shoulder, a cold, satisfied expression on his face. He slipped his hands into his pockets and eyed us with a venomous spark in his eyes. Chimitsu stayed behind me with the baby in her arms, watching the scene with wide eyes as I attempted to understand why he had done this when there were other ways to get our attention. 

"Because they worshipped you, futago," he answered casually. "They idolized you and forgot to fear Lord Aku in the process. We couldn't allow them to grow up thinking that they had a hero who would one day liberate them." 

His voice was cruel and condescending, as if he were taunting me. He had taken countless innocent lives without remorse, sending them to their graves in torment and pain. I could feel the rage and agony burning in my chest at the indignation these people had suffered at his hands. 

"You destroyed so many young lives because they had hope?!" I cried in astonishment. "Because they believed in me?! Because they only wanted to be free?!" 

He shrugged, his hands still in his pockets. He did not care at all about what he had done here or the blood he had spilled to flush us out. We were all he cared about and now that he had accomplished that, there was no need for any further destruction and chaos. 

"They would only have gotten in Lord Aku's way as adults and the Pit of Hate is already becoming full." 

I could feel his emotionless indifference along our link and this was more than I could tolerate after all I had seen and heard. I could understand him coming after us through our friends, attacking adults who refused to stand up and fight for Aku, but the children, the innocent children who had not yet had much of a chance to live? I could not stand it. 

He was going to pay. 

"Omae wa makaritoanai ze!"[1] I roared, lunging at him and leaving Chimitsu behind with the baby. 

He laughed softly and took a step back, both of us drawing our katanas at the exact same time. I knew that he fed off my anger, and for that reason, he had an advantage in this fight. But at that moment, with all the lifeless bodies of the children lying around us, I did not care. I struck with lightning speed, slashing over and over again, left, right, left, right, up, down, and then thrust the handle of my katana into his chin. 

I did not give him time to recover and slashed deeply across his side, drawing blood before he was able block. He snarled and sliced down my arm, slashing deeply. In return, I slammed my left fist into his jaw before bringing the handle of my katana down on the back of his neck, dropping him to the ground. 

He fell awkwardly, yet still managed to swing around, sweeping me off my feet onto my back. 

Shards of glass sliced into my back through my kimono as I landed and as I rolled out of the way to avoid a strike aimed for my throat. Chimitsu stood off to the side by a lamppost with the baby cradled in her arms, watching the two of us in horror as we fought about the deserted street. I leapt to my feet and blocked a downward strike, bringing my left foot up to kick him hard in the stomach. 

He doubled over and then laughed before swiping at my midsection. I did manage to dodge the blow and struck down hard towards his collarbone. He blocked and we began slashing at each other again, trying to bring each other down. It was a fight to the death this time, neither of us willing to let the other escape if we could help it. 

With another laugh, he fired a red orb into my stomach, sending me flying back through the glass window of a store and through a couple shelves before I skidded to a stop on the floor. I lay there for a few seconds, dazed and covered with blood as I heard him leap through the same window I had just crashed through. I could sense him look around for me and considered faking unconsciousness or death, but knew that he would be able to tell that I was doing so along our link. 

Instead, I pulled myself up, feeling the sting of the glass shards in the tattered shreds that was my kimono, momentarily ignoring the blood that trickled down my arms and legs. I heard him laugh and felt him leap in towards me, whirling around in time to block as my back slammed up against another shelf. I snarled at the pain that reached me through the rush of adrenaline as the glass was ground even deeper into my skin and pushed back against him, trying to get an opening long enough for me to get away from the shelf. 

The dangerous spark of bloodlust filled his eyes as he chuckled wickedly, pushing down harder against my blade. I could feel the electric surge in the air as our very auras twisted and danced around each other, rattling items on the shelves around us, even knocking some to the floor. He was a powerful Elemental and I was rapidly weakening from the bloodloss that had stained what was left of my kimono a rust color, but I could not allow him to get the better of me this time. 

With a roar, I summoned all the raw power and anger I felt in my heart, channelling it into my legs and pushed up to shove him into the shelf across the aisle. He had nearly fallen, but instead managed to regain his balance, lunging at me wildly in fury. I stepped aside and slashed at a support holding up the shelf, watching it topple over onto him. 

I knew that he was far from beaten and stepped back, panting, weak, and aching despite the adrenaline that burned in my veins. I watched as a blast of magic shattered the back of the shelf and he leapt at me again, slashing repeatedly with his katana. I blocked, wasting no time in striking back, pushing him back through the store towards the register. 

He could sense where I was directing him and stepped aside as I brought my blade down, watching as it sliced through the counter instead of him. With another laugh, he sliced at my head, intending on finishing me right then and there. Instead of blocking, I simply ducked, instinctively turning away from the shower of sparks that came from the imploding register. 

Before he had the chance to recover from the misdirected strike, I lunged forward and rammed my shoulder into his sternum, knocking him off his feet. With a roar of fury, I swung up and brought my katana down towards his head, intending on taking it and ending the fight. He blocked at the last second and swung up, kicking me in the chest and sending me onto my back on the floor. 

I rolled with it and streaked the tile floor with blood as I flipped back onto my feet, watching him carefully. I panted heavily from the exertion of the short battle while he had hardly broken a sweat, enjoying this battle and feeding off the wanton destruction and chaos. He knew that I knew it, too. 

"Go ahead, futago," he taunted. "Get yourself in a rage, let all that pent up anger and hatred fly." 

I said nothing and lunged in, our blades clashing over and over as I pushed him back out through the shattered window onto the street again. Chimitsu had not moved from her spot, watching us with her wings curled protectively around the baby she held. I roared and pounded my blade down against his, sparks flying like small bolts of lightning from the sheer force of the blows. 

I backed him down off the sidewalk and into the intersection, my body aching from the exertion, even as a power filled my very soul. It fueled the desire to destroy my double and avenge all the lives lost in this city at his hand so those lost souls could finally rest. He seemed to have no trouble blocking, as if he was toying with me, enjoying this more and more. 

"Yes! Let it go! Feel the rage and hatred burning in your heart!" 

His fist collided with my jaw and I whirled around, the blow fueling the rage within me as I returned the blow with one that was almost identical to the one he had dealt me. 

"Let it consume you!" he exclaimed. "Dance the dance of war, futago!" 

His face contorted into a mask of twisted excitement, the shadows dancing over his features as they were illuminated by the firelight. 

"Go wild and let the fires fill you with lust!" 

I roared again, summoning all my power and slashed viciously at him, growing wild with my hatred of him. He had caused me so much suffering and inflicted pain on all those that I loved in this world. Nothing could be gained by letting him continue to live. He had to be destroyed. 

The more enraged I grew, the more frenzied he became, enjoying every last strike and ounce of pain we inflicted on each other. He blocked easily, his leather jacket, t-shirt, and my kimono all becoming shredded into tatters and streaked with blood from the ferocity of our battle. He flicked his hair back over his shoulders and grinned at me, a psychotic gleam shimmering in his eyes. 

We moved across the glass-strewn pavement, slicing and slashing at each other as our blades sparked in the light of the fires that glowed in buildings and cars nearby. Sweat and blood trickled along my skin, stinging and burning in the gashes inflicted by the shards of glass and Mad Jack's katana. Sirens roared from somewhere deep within the heart of the city, adding to the dark, hellish scenery of the world around us. 

Sparks danced across the street as I pushed him back towards another shop, feeling the rage burning inside of me. I wanted nothing more than to see him lying amongst the bodies here, knowing that if I could destroy even just him, their Dark Elemental Circle would be broken and their power shattered. He held the essense of Hirame the Metal Elemental, and if I could kill him, she would be free to escape her spiritual enslavement at the hands of Aku as she had told me in the midst of my fever dreams. 

He whirled around and slashed violently, forcing me to leap over the blade or be sliced in two. Another deranged laugh cut the air as I landed, unable to do anything but block as he charged in and pushed me down onto the hood of a burnt-out car. His lower half pinned me down as he leaned in and pushed with all of his weight onto his blade, the twin katanas dangerously close to both of our throats. 

"Oh yes...do you feel that, futago?" he asked, his voice a harsh whisper. "Do you feel the orgy of pain and suffering in the air?" 

I could feel the pain, the fire of the gashes on my back as it ground against the ice-cold metal of the car. 

"Let it consume you, futago, let it destroy everything you are..." 

His eyes flashed, gleaming like the firelight reflecting off our locked blades. 

"...everything you love..." 

Anger and hatred surged through my veins at his words. 

"...everything it touches in this world." 

His eyes burned into mine, and for a fleeting moment, I thought I could see Aku's reflection in them, further fueling the rage burning in my blood. 

"Let the chaos exhaust your reserves, swallow you up, and give revival to your darkness!" 

He leaned down, his face so close to mine, his eyes burning with an ecstatic lust for this destruction. He wanted this, he wanted it all. I tried to push him back, but my strength was weakening from a combination of exhaustion and blood loss. He pushed down twice as hard, leaning down so that his lips were almost brushing lightly against my own. 

"Accept it, futago..." 

His quiet whisper sent a chill down my spine as I gazed up into his cold, empty eyes. 

"Accept this lust for chaos and destruction and embrace it." 

His head tipped down slightly and his eyes narrowed, a sadistic smile curving across his lips. 

"Do it. Kill me and make us one and the same..." 

This was more than I could bear. Suddenly, I did not care if I was past my endurance or if I died here today, so long as I took this monster with me. I roared and pushed up with all my strength, shoving him back and off balance until he fell to the street. His katana dropped from his hand and clattered to the street a few feet away as I pushed myself up off the hood of the car. Momentarily stunned, he had no chance to grab his katana to block. He was dead. 

I raised my katana above my head. 

"SHI-NEEEEEEEEEE!"[2] 

Every ounce of strength I had left was channelled into my blade, bringing it down toward his heart. He deserved this and so much more. Let him die here in the street, in the midst of this hellish scene that he himself had created. 

"YAMETEEEEEEE!!!!!!"[3] 

I halted my strike mere inches from Chimitsu's chest, looking up to see her standing there with her emerald eyes full of tears. I stared at her in disbelief, panting, not wanting to move away from my double and lose this chance to rid this world of him. Slowly, she reached over and pushed my katana away from her chest and I let her as she took a step towards me. 

"Minamoto-chan...don't," she pleaded, her voice breaking. "It's just what he wants. He wants you to do this, to kill him." 

Her eyes slide closed and she looked away, a stream of crystalline tears running down her pale cheeks. 

"Please...let him go." 

I stared at her in shock as her words slowly sunk in through the haze of fury boiling in my chest. I could not believe that she had just said that. She was the last person I had ever expected to hear ask me to let him go. 

She hated him almost as much as I did and had even been preparing me for the final battle with him and with Aku. I could not begin to understand her reasons for asking me to let him go free after what he had done here. Not when I was unable to think of one good reason for such a request. 

Could she not see what he had done here? 

"Let him go? After all those children he murdered so ruthlessly?" 

My gaze flicked between her and the figure lying sprawled on his back on the pavement 

"He deserves to die, Chimitsu," I growled, feeling the rage begin to burn again in my veins. "He deserves to die as violently as they did." 

"Perhaps he deserves to die, but not like this. It isn't time for it." 

I moved to strike him down again, only to have her grab my arm and stop me before I could do so. I looked at her, glaring, wondering why she would want him to live after what he had done here. She gripped my arm firmly and prevented me from making the strike, her eyes showing solid determination to keep me from doing what I was about to do. 

"You can't do this, Minamoto-kun," she stated firmly without any room for arguement. "I won't let you." 

I pushed her out of the way and turned my attention back to him. In all this time, he had plenty of opportunity to recover and get out of the way, but he did not and simply laid there, waiting for me to cut him down. There was something oddly unsettling about the fact that he had not moved and that he was still smiling. I hesitated, suddenly and inexplicably uncertain. 

I glanced from my twin's prone form over to Chimitsu and felt even more unsure of what to do when I saw the look in her eyes. She did not want to be here amongst all this chaos, nor did she want to witness this battle between myself and Mad Jack. I could see that the hellish scene around us chilled her and that she wanted nothing more than for the two of us to leave, but also that she was pushing the emotions back. 

What did she know that I did not that compelled her to force back her horror for the sake of stopping me? 

I began to lower my katana, then hesitated a second time. No...he had to die. No good would come from letting him live and the souls of those that he had killed would not be able to rest until he had been destroyed. Vengeance had to be served! I raised my katana again, preparing to strike him down when I felt Chimitsu's hands upon my back, her hands sending waves of gentle love flowing through my heart. 

Her warm fingertips trailed up along my back over the mangled, bloody slices in my skin as she worked her way up to my shoulders. I could feel warm, healing energies tingle along my skin and seal the wounds as she touched them. Her hands slid down over my arms towards my wrists and I could feel her press firmly against my back. 

I suddenly realized the pain and weakness in my entire body, my heavy, labored breathing, and what a bloody mess I was. I relaxed as I realized just how closely she was pressed against my back, feeling her healing touch caress my skin through the tattered shreds of my kimono. 

"If you do this, Jack, you and he will merge and become the same person," 

Her voice was a soft, calm whisper in my ear and I could feel her healing wash over me, not just from her fingertips but from her entire body pressed up against me as well." 

"You'll become Mad Jack and everything you've fought for, all your hopes, dreams, your honor...everything will be destroyed, including yourself." 

Her hands reached my wrists and stopped there, resting loosely against my hands. She was hugging me, a gesture I found to be a bit too intimate to be displayed in front of an enemy. Somehow, I doubted that she minded at that moment. 

"Is that what you truly want?" 

My hands trembled as my body drew from her strength and healing. I could feel the pain and fatigue fade slowly as she stepped back, leaving me to make my decision. That was the furthest thing from what I wanted after everything I had been through and fought for. 

As the haze of hatred and rage slowly faded, I realized what she had been trying to tell me all this time and why she had risked her own life to stop me before I had struck Mad Jack down. I had let my anger get the better of me and had almost destroyed myself in the process. Had I killed him, he would have indeed died, but the part of him that had once been a part of me would have returned to me and in my current state, would have overwhelmed me. 

I would have succumbed to my dark emotions and embraced the evil that embodied itself in my twin. 

I slowly lowered my katana, realizing how close I had come to destroying myself. He wanted to drive me into a frenzied rage, to make me lose control so that my hatred would overtake me and turn me into him for good and he would have succeeded if not for Chimitsu. This battle was over, at least for the moment. 

"Sewayaki onna..."[4] Mad Jack growled with a low, soft laugh. 

I watched him pull himself to his feet, picking up his katana and sheathing it, making no move at all to attack. I was exhausted, but ready for him if he did choose to attack. Yet with my body healed, I felt stronger, even if I still needed to recover more than I already had. 

"You've got no fuckin' idea what you're talking about," he hissed with a snarl on his face. "We certainly could have fused into one being, but it doesn't matter that it didn't happen now." 

I furrowed my brow, finding it odd that he was saying this now when he had been trying just a few moments ago to drive me to lose control so we could fuse. If that and the lives he had taken meant nothing to him, then what did? Chimitsu scowled off to my side, giving him a poisonous look 

"What are you talking about?" she asked. 

"Heh. You haven't a clue, do you?" 

He laughed quietly, sadistically, and I tensed, my hand brushing the hilt of my katana. 

"These lives mean nothing to me. You two on the other hand..." 

In a flash of red smoke, he disappeared, leaving Chimitsu and I alone on the deserted, battle-torn street. I was confused as my hand left the handle of my katana, trying to figure out what he had been planning all this time. He had been trying to draw us out with the deaths of all these innocents, trying to drive me into a rage so he could fuse and take permanent control of me, right? 

"Are you all right?" Chimitsu asked. 

I sighed softly and nodded a little, not really all right, but well enough considering what had just happened. I did not immediately raise my head to look at her, feeling guilty for being so blinded by my anger that I had actually shoved her aside in order to get to Mad Jack, but I slowly did at last. I realized that she had not been upset by it if she had gone so far to embrace me in front of my enemy, an act that made it difficult for me to contain my embarrassment. 

She reached out and gently took my hand in hers, her eyes and expression showing that she had already forgiven me, even though I still needed to apologize. 

"I think so. Forgive me." 

"No need to," she murmured, her gaze lowering as a sad look washed over her face. "I know why you did it." 

She wrapped her arms around my middle and folded her wings almost completely around us both as she rested her head on my shoulder. I sighed again and rested my chin on the top of her head as I slid an arm around her waist to pull her close as I tried to think of what to do next. We could do nothing for those Mad Jack had killed here, but we had no way of knowing where he had gone, even with the link between him and myself. 

"There he is!" 

The words cut through my thoughts like a knife and I jumped slightly in surprise. Chimitsu and I quickly drew apart, finding that we were in the presence of an angry looking mob standing not too far away. I furrowed my brow, wondering what they could possibly want with us seeing as how we had not been here that long. Certainly not long enough for them to see anyone other than... 

"Is that him?" ...Mad Jack. 

"That's him all right. That's the slimy bastard that blew up my car!" 

Oh. Shit. My blood froze in my veins as I realized what he had planned for us from the start. 

Chimitsu stood in front of me protectively with her wings unfurled as they gazed around at the destruction left by Mad Jack. They looked back at us, infuriated upon seeing the bodies of the schoolchildren, the same group Chimitsu and I had seen shortly after we arrived. I did not like where this was heading. 

"The children now, too, Jack? Is this any way to repay us for helping you in the past? You come back and destroy our homes, kill our loved ones?" 

"Wait...I did not..." I began. 

They would not hear any of it and began to close in, looking as if they could riot at any moment. I backed up with Chimitsu in front of me, shielding me, although I began to wonder if she would be able to defend us both from the guns some of the men appeared to be carrying. I knew she would not dare to hurt or kill any of them, even if it was in self defense. 

"Stop! He didn't do any of this!" she cried. 

"If he didn't, then who the hell did?" 

"His twin! The one with the leather biker jacket!" 

Again, they refused to listen to reason and several shouts went up condeming the both of us for allowing this to happen. There was nothing we could do to change their minds and could only flee the city before they began to riot. We had seen enough death and destruction here today that we wanted to avoid any further confrontations if at all possible, which looked less and less likely. 

They began to move in again and Chimitsu turned, wrapping her arms and wings around me, initiating a teleport when she realized that there was no reasoning with these people. My heart turned to ice as we reappeared outside the city, realizing now what Mad Jack had meant earlier when he said that neither the fusion nor the lives he had taken meant nothing to him. He had dressed like me, killed all those innocent people, caused chaos, terror and destruction, changed into his usual clothing when he sensed our approach, and then left us to deal with the consequences of what he had done. 

"Minamoto-chan..." Chimitsu began, looking up at me, her wings folding against her back again. 

"By the gods...he planned this all along. He had been planning on framing me for the murders he committed if he could not get me to lose control and fuse with him." 

Chimitsu reached up and lightly caressed my face, brushing a few strands of hair out of my face. 

"I know," she murmured soothingly. "I'm sorry I didn't see it sooner. Didn't think it was quite like him to not attack again I'd calmed you down." 

I felt like a complete fool. Not just for losing my temper, but for not having the foresight to see what Mad Jack had been planning the moment we had set foot in that city. Until he had been destroyed- however long that took- we could not return to that city without risking certain death at the hands of vengeful citizens. 

"We cannot go back there now. Not without proof that he exists. They will kill us for certain if we try. All those children...dying...thinking that their hero had turned on them..." 

I slumped down to sit on a small boulder, hanging my head in my hands, trying not to cry with the outraged sorrow and pain at what my twin had done. My chest felt heavy as lead, wishing that I had sought him out earlier and stopped the massacre before it had even happened. Chimitsu gently massaged my back, trying to soothe me, eventually wrapping her arms around my shoulders, her hands resting lightly against my chest. 

"We've got to move on, Jack. We can't stay here or they'll see us." she warned. 

"But where do we go?" 

"Let's try the jungle, see if he's gone into hiding there." 

"All right." 

She released me and I sighed heavily as I stood, looking around. There was nothing out here but a desert wasteland as far as the eye could see. There was no possible way that Mad Jack could have hidden all the way out here, which meant that he had fled to someplace where he could hide and lay in wait for us. 

"How do you want to go?" she asked. 

"I do not know. It will take us several days to reach the jungle from here if we travel on foot." 

"I could always teleport." 

"I would rather not. Teleportation strains your energies and I, well, I tend to find it rather unnerving." 

She chuckled softly and leaned up, lightly kissing me on the tip of my nose, hardly offended by my confession. 

"Well, it's not far to fly there." she said. 

I could not help but arch an eyebrow at the suggestion. Flying was not much better than teleportation. I was a man, not a bird. 

"Fly? You cannot be suggesting..." 

She unfurled her wings out behind herself, preparing to take flight. 

"Chimitsu-chan..." I began, wondering how she was going to pull this off. 

"I know, you can't fly, but I can certainly carry you." 

I blinked and stared at her in a bit of shock. She was a fair bit smaller than I was and did not seem to be strong enough to carry me for such a great distance. 

"Carry me? That far? Are you certain?" 

"Of course, silly. Flying with you wouldn't take as long as walking and it won't drain my energies like a teleport. Doesn't take much for me to lift you, samurai. You're not that heavy." 

I frowned, still doubting her ability to carry me that far. 

"But I am heavier than you." 

"And not as heavy as a car," she said with a smile, knowing she had won this round. "C'mon, samurai. Let's ride the wind." 

She held her arms open and I reluctantly turned around, letting her wrap her arms around me from behind around my chest. I could hear her wings flap to pick up steam and then she began to hover up slightly, not yet lifting me from the ground. I felt her press closer and hang on tighter and a second later, we were airborne. 

* * *

[1]"Omae wa makaritoanai ze!" = "I won't let you get away with this!"  
[2]shi-ne = die  
[3]yamete = stop  
[4]"Sewayaki onna..." = "Meddlesome woman..." 


	33. Sanjuuni: Epidemic

Wow. I've finally updated. It's a miracle! *laughs* Yeah, I know, it's been a long time. So sorry. This time I have nobody to blame but my own dang lazy self. :P Hopefully I'll be rectifying that soon. Want to get this baby finished and start in on its sequel. Yes, you heard me. LOL A sequel is in the works. :) Enjoy! -- TN 

* * *

Several miles later, Chimitsu began her descent just on the outskirts of the jungle. As soon as she had set me down on the ground, I took a step ahead, looking into the trees. There was clearly something wrong here, too. I could feel it. Was there a place on this planet where evil did not in the shadows? 

Behind me, Chimitsu folded her wings against her back, her nodachi resting between them. I felt her hand slip into mine and dared to glance at her before leading the way inside. The weather was still hot, but now, upon entering the jungle, it was not only hot, but humid as well. 

Sweat soon rolled down my face and back, Chimitsu occasionally fluttering her wings to fan us both. She had not begun to sweat, but still appeared to be mildly uncomfortable. I glanced back at her as I heard her sigh, and did a double take. 

My face grew hot at the sight of her, having somehow changed from her usual dress to a pair of shorts and a belly-baring halter top. If there had ever been a doubt in my mind that she was an attractive woman, it was gone in that instant. I looked away quickly, using all my concentration to keep myself from blushing furiously. 

We had not walked far when I had to stop and slide my arms out of the top of my kimono, letting the sleeves hang down behind me. I felt cooler, but not by much. I had not remembered the jungle to be so stiffling the last time I had visited. Of course, that time had also been at night, too. 

"Will you be all right, Minamoto-chan?" Chimitsu asked. 

"I will be fine. It is just so heavy in the air...I do not remember the air feeling so weighted." 

"Agreed. There's something here." 

"And it just gets worse the deeper into the heart of the jungle we go." 

I swatted at a few mosquitos swarming around my face. They were everywhere and on everything, making it difficult to go very far without having to swat them away. Chimitsu waved a few away as I slapped at one feasting on the back of my hand, appearing to be deep in thought. 

"One of the Dark Elementals...I can feel them...somewhere up ahead." 

"Which one?" I questioned, daring another glance at her. 

The heat had taken its toll on me and I no longer cared how she looked any more than my own appearance. Our clothes were drenched and my sweat-soaked hair hung in my face limply. All efforts to shake it out of the way had failed and I soon gave up in favor of trying to breathe in this heavy, humid air. 

"I'm not certain yet," she stated and her hand squeezed mine gently as she studied me, a look of concern on her face. "I'm more worried about you collapsing from all this heat. It's not good for a mortal." 

I forced a smile despite the stiffling heat, trying to reassure her. It was not easy considering the heat and humidity and we were both very uncomfortable. The sooner we found the next Dark Elemental, the sooner we would be able to cool ourselves off. 

"I have faced worse. I will be fine," I told her, glancing back towards the path with a deep sigh. "There is more at stake here than just me." 

She nodded and we kept walking, the heat growing more and more unbearable as we continued. It was heavy, pressing down on my body and lungs, making it almost difficult to walk. My vision blurred and I had a hard time seeing where I was going, remembering which was the right path to take. 

If I continued...I...I could not remember why I was continuing. I could feel the heavy air snaking its way into my mind, fogging my thoughts and memories until I stopped walking. What was I doing? 

Ahead of me in the mists, I could begin to make out a pair of figures, human figures. I squinted, trying to make out the faces. I felt so feverish, but if there were other humans here, perhaps it was not so bad just ahead. 

I rubbed at my eyes, finally able to see who it was I saw ahead of me. 

"Otousan! Okaasan!" 

That was impossible! They had perished centuries ago in our native Japan at the hands of Aku. They could not possibly be standing here in this jungle before me. But...I could see them... 

My vision blurred again, this time with tears. I wanted this quest to be over with, to go back home to them, live my life as it should have been instead of this endless hell. I reached out to them, wanting to feel my mother's arms around me again. To feel her comforting embrace...telling me that this was all just a terrible, terrible nightmare... 

_*Splash!*_

I coughed and sputtered, wiping at my face again, looking up to see Chimitsu standing there with a bucket of ice cold water. 

"Chimitsu-chan! What was that for?!" I cried. 

She frowned, obviously displeased with me for something. We were both overheating, but I could not understand why she would suddenly conjure a bucket of water and drench me with it. I watched her teleport it away, vaguely wondering why she had not done that sooner. 

"If I hadn't, you would have succumbed to the spell that has been cast on this place." 

I stared at her, then looked around, suddenly more acquainted with my surroundings. I was sitting down. When had I done that? 

"Spell?" 

"Yes. I seem to be untouched by it, but you were very close to giving into its empty promises." 

I slumped for a moment as I realized that I was very much alone here with Chimitsu. It had been nothing more than a fever dream. Her fingers brushed the side of my face, over the cool water that was still dripped from my hair. 

"Please. We must hurry. We're close to the heart of it now." 

Damn this stiffling heat. I could not concentrate in such heavy, suffocating air. My eyes closed, struggling to find the line between reality and fantasy. 

"Minamoto-chan..." 

I felt Chimitsu's hand on my shoulder and looked up, seeing a gentle worry in the twin pools of emerald. 

"We must go." she whispered. 

I nodded and stood, looking towards the clearing that lay just ahead. I knew this place. Somehow, I just knew I had been here before. I began to walk towards it, only to have Chimitsu stop me. 

"Wait just one moment." 

I turned back to her, confused now. First she says that we must go, now she stops me. What was she thinking? What was _I_ thinking? This heat.. 

"But, you just..." 

"I know. We do have to continue, but first, I want you to take something." 

I stared at her confused, not expecting that. What could she possibly want me to take now that we were so far into the jungle? My mind felt so cloudy... 

"Take something? Take what?" 

"Medicine." 

"But...I am not ill." 

"No, but you will be if you proceed any further." 

"What?" 

I looked around, seeing nothing or nobody that could cause me any illness. We were completely alone and Chimitsu would not have done anything to hurt me. How did she know if I was going to get sick or not? 

"Why?" I asked, still confused. 

"Can't you smell it?" 

"Smell what?" 

"Disease, sickness..." 

I stared at her. No, I could not smell it. All I could smell was the stiffling heat and humidity that hung in the air. 

"I can't cure diseases," she reminded me. "Only heal injury. Take this." 

She took a small paper packet from seemingly nowhere, offering it to me. I reluctantly swallowed the entire bitter dose, making a face at the potency of it. Chimitsu chuckled and allowed me to drink a good dose of water on top of it, chasing away most of the taste. 

"What _is_ that stuff, Chimitsu?" I asked, trying not to cough. 

"Something Extor gave me before you arrived. I'd had a feeling we'd be leaving soon, so I asked for some medication in case we ran into Ekirei again." 

"By the gods...it tasted like it was going to burn my tongue away!" 

She laughed and kissed the tip of my nose. 

"I promise I'll treat you to a delicious meal when we get through with all our business, all right?" 

I flushed slightly, feeling a bit uncomfortable with her lavishing such affection on me. Still, the thought of a delicious, homecooked meal awaiting me when we got home was more than a little comforting. Despite my discomfort, I actually looked forward to it. 

"All right. Now...where to?" 

"Just ahead." 

Chimitsu straightened slightly, her eyes darkening in a look that I might have thought to be hatred if I knew she was capable of it. 

"I can feel her waiting." 

"Her? Her who?" I asked, even though I had a feeling I already knew. 

"Ekirei," she whispered. "That blue orb that placed you in a coma was to kill you with sickness." 

My eyes narrowed at the mention of the Pestilence Elemental's name. 

"Then I shall just have to pay her in kind when we meet up with her." 

Chimitsu turned and glared at me. The look was not threatening, but she obviously did not approve of my tone. I knew it well, having been on the receiving end of such a look before many times in my training. 

"Don't get so cocky, Minamoto-chan," she warned. "You're not at full power yet." 

She turned away from me. I could see the tension in her muscles as we approached this new danger area. It seemed that she was more apprehensive about our approach than I was, for reasons I could not fathom yet. 

There was clearly more to Ekirei than she was telling me and I was not entirely certain I liked it. 

"The only good news is, you're now immune to that blue orb," she informed me. "She can't use it on you again. It's a one-time thing, meant to kill on the first shot. She wasn't expecting you to survive it." 

"I did not train for twenty years, only to fall to illness before I completed my quest." 

A long, slow, deep sigh answered me. 

"I know. Just...be careful, all right? We've had too many close calls for comfort." 

I sighed and nodded, turning back towards that clearing. The air was feeling a bit lighter now and cooler, but now I could smell what Chimitsu had been talking about. The smell of disease filled the air, turning my stomach from the rancid scent. 

"Ah!" 

The sudden cry of surprise from my partner guided my hand before I even realized what I was doing. I whirled around, katana drawn, aiming towards Chimitsu's direction. I had been expecting an assailant, even Ekirei herself, anything but what I saw lying in Chimitsu's arms. Slowly, I sheathed my katana, eyeing the little silver ape. 

The tribe...of course! 

Chimitsu was smoothing the little creature's fur out of its eyes, fur that was soaked with the sweat of a fever. I slowly made my way over, looking at it from Chimitsu's side. Not once had the little creature stirred. 

"By the gods...the tribe." I said quietly. 

"You know these little guys?" 

"Yes. Incredible jumpers. They taught me the secrets of their incredible skill and I taught them a few tricks of my own in turn. What is wrong with him?" 

"I'm not sure. He's very ill...comatose even. I don't know what she's inflicted here." 

I swore softly in Japanese under my breath. First the children that had seen me as their hero, brutally murdered at the hands of Mad Jack, and now the gentle tribe of silver apes. They were going after my friends, people who had helped me or had any kind of hope in me. 

"Put him down!" 

A roar came from the shadows of a nearby tree, driving Chimitsu to curl into a ball with her wings around herself and the little ape. I reached for my katana, recognizing the voice. If only he would show himself... 

"Wait!" I cried. 

Faster than I could follow, a stocky, muscular figure launched itself at Chimitsu, knocking her out of the defensive ball in a shower of white feathers. The little ape was knocked out of her hands and I dove, catching him before he struck the ground. I could hear Chimitsu struggling a few feet away, one wing crumpled at an odd angle. 

"Witch! Make tribe sick! Make tribe die!" 

I gently set the little ape down in the grass and hurried over, pulling the wild man from Chimitsu. He was angry, his face streaked with tears and the beginnings of the fever that had struck the tribe. His eyes looked at me questioningly for a moment before he caught me in a tight hug, squeezing the air from my lungs. 

"Friend come help tribe!" he cried. 

"Er...yes...I..." 

He let me go, still glaring at Chimitsu as she pulled herself up, rubbing at her jaw. 

"I suppose we have." I finished. 

"We want her leave. She make tribe sick." 

"No, you do not understand. This is not the same lady. This is Chimitsu. She has been traveling with me for the last few days. See? She has white wings, not black." 

He looked at her closely, looking down when he realized his mistake. 

"Sorry. Look like her." 

Chimitsu walked over and gently rested a hand on his shoulder, her wing regenerating itself. 

"It's all right. Eki has that effect on people." she said with a smile. 

She walked over and picked up the little one, conjuring up a cold compress to put on its face. We walked over, looking at the little one, watching her try to keep him safe. 

"Can help tribe?" 

She sighed softly, uncertainty in her eyes. 

"I don't know," she answered sadly. "I can't heal sickness. This little one needs a doctor." 

"All tribe sick. She came during moon harvest. Poisoned food, spread sickness. We dying." 

"I know. Damnit all...I can't do anything to counter the disease she spread here. My powers are only for injuries." 

"Who other angel-woman?" 

Chimitsu glanced up, a bit surprised at the question. 

"Ekirei?" 

Her eyes remained for only a moment before she returned to looking over the small silver ape. 

"She's hardly an angel. She's...she's me, but she's not. Only looks like me." 

She put aside those thoughts, and hope of an explanation, and looked back up at him. 

"Can you gather the rest of your tribe? We need to get them to a doctor." 

"I get what left." 

I watched as he disappeared into the jungle, looking to Chimitsu, wondering how we were going to get the entire tribe to a doctor safely. There was no time to travel back to the city and it was even farther to get to Extor for all I knew. The tribe would be all extinct if we tried. 

Shortly after, the wildman returned with not even half of his people. At least, half of the tribe as I remembered it. There were so few of the little silver apes left, the rest apparently having already succumbed to Eki's diseases. We had such precious little time left. 

"This all left of tribe. Others fell quickly. Too weak to fight the witch that kill them." he said. 

"I am sorry," I whispered, sadness flooding through me. "We should have come sooner." 

"Not Friend's fault. He only man like me. He only does what can." 

Chimitsu stood, handing the little one to him before turning and opening a portal. I blinked in surprise. I had not known she had any such power, but was understanding now how she had planned to get the tribe out of here to safety in such a quick manner. 

"Quickly. Go through the portal. Another friend of Jack's will be waiting there. He's a doctor, he can help this tribe when we cannot." she said. 

"He make tribe well?" 

"He will try. Go, quickly, before she follows!" 

He nodded and urged the tribe on, watching them go through before pausing, turning to us. 

"Will see Friend again?" he asked. 

"We will be there as soon as we can." 

"Tribe wait for Friend." 

I nodded and watched him hurry through with the little one, Chimitsu's portal closing behind him. I looked to her, seeing the sadness in her eyes before we turned and sprinted for the clearing. Here, the air was fresher and lighter, the humidity fading almost completely now. 

We looked around, knowing that Ekirei was here, watching. Clearly, she had allowed the tribe to leave to safety, wanting to draw us out just as Mad Jack had done in the city. The tribe was only her calling card, not her main target. 

That honor belonged to us. 

"I see it didn't take you long to figure it out." she said. 

I could see her, crouched down on a perch in a tree, her wings flared out behind her ever so slightly. A nasty grin warped her angelic looking face into a twisted, demonic look. Sharp nails dug into the bark of the branch she was perched on, making her look more like a gargoyle than an angel. 

"Ekirei. We are here. State your business." I said quietly. 

She laughed loudly, obviously enjoying the situation she had put us in. 

"Are you _that_ eager to die, samurai?" 

"Not eager to die," I corrected. "Eager to get this over with." 

"Mmm...," she pondered. "In that, I share your impatience. This won't be over with until the two of you are dead and the Star of the Elements rests in Aku-sama's hands." 

"That'll never happen." Chimitsu informed her. Her voice was confident, without a trace of fear. 

Ekirei sprang from the branch, wings flaring out to give her some gliding power before she folded them against her back, dropping down in front of us. I stepped back, my hand brushing over my weapon to reassure myself of its accessibility. 

"What makes you so certain?" Ekirei challenged. 

Chimitsu's eyes narrowed. She held her stance, not appearing the slightest bit intimidated by her double's advancement. Somehow, she knew something that I did not, but what? 

"Because none of you know the Star's true power," she shot back. "It'll kill Aku before it allows him to use it." 

"Guess there's only one way to find out, isn't there?" 

Chimitsu laughed quietly, without humor. She definitely knew more about the Star than she had told me, but apparently was not ready to tell me the full story. Or perhaps she could not tell me, I did not know. 

"If you think I'm just going to hand it over, you can just keep on dreaming. But if you think I'm going to fight, then I'd suggest you get yourself ready. If we engage in battle, one of us will die here tonight." 

Ekirei laughed and hovered up, wings flapping powerfully. 

"Whatever made you think I came here wanting a fight?" she asked. 

My fist closed tightly around the handle of my katana. I did not trust her. Not in the least, not even for one second. 

"Is that not what you usually want?" I asked. 

She smirked at me, obviously satisfied with whatever accomplishment she thought she had achieved here. 

"Naive little virgin samurai...you know nothing of the me. MJ may be full of enough testosterone to want to fight all the time, but I've got better things to do. My business here is done." 

I blinked in surprise. She was leaving already? This did not seem right at all. Something was wrong here. Very, very wrong. 

"What?" 

"This is only a demonstration of what I can do. The real battle awaits for another time, Jack Minamoto. Save yourself until then, when we can enjoy a _real_ fight." 

Before Chimitsu or I could stop her, she disappeared in a fluffing of black feathers, the jungle's air immediately clearing and becoming fresher. I furrowed my brow, staring at the spot where she had been hovering, wondering what she had meant that this had only been a demonstration. A chill ran through me as I realized what she _could_ mean. 

Was this all just a game for them? A test of their powers until Aku decided to end it all? I was not certain I wanted to know the answer to such a question. 


	34. Sanjuusan: Starvation

AN: I apologize for the long hiatus. RL has hit me quite hard, leaving me without the energy or drive or time to update. This fic has been long-finished, with a tentative sequel in planning(though when I'll get around to writing it, I don't know...), but definitely not forgotten about. Just a frazzled author having to deal with things that are more important than writing.

I'm hoping that from here on out, I'll be able to update once a week on Fridays, come hell or high water, until these last chapters are posted. Sorry for keeping you all waiting, but I intend to finish posting, with no more excuses. Hopefully you'll enjoy the end of this fic, it's going to be one helluva roller coaster ride! - TN

* * *

I looked back to Chimitsu as soon as the portal had closed, likely taking Ekirei to yet another part of the world to spread hellish destruction. But I could not think of that. I could not dwell on the fact that there was no possible way that we could keep up with them. I had to keep moving. Twice now, the Dark Elementals had struck people close to us, never intending on facing us, but only to threaten. A demonstration of their power.

If that was a mere demonstration, as Ekirei had put it, then I feared to think of what a full show of power would be like.

"Minamoto-chan..." she began

Chimitsu's voice snapped me out of my trance and I nodded. I knew that with the appearance of Mad Jack and Ekirei, the other Dark Elementals would not be far behind. The question now was, which one was going to rear their ugly head next?

"I know. We must find the next one...but where? Where would they think to strike next? I do not exactly have many friends and allies here in this world."

"Well, what friends do you have?" she questioned. "We have already seen what he has done to the children and to the tribe. Besides the Scots, who else could he go after?"

I sighed softly, not as concerned about Duncan and his clan as she was. I had fought alongside them plenty of times and knew that if they could handle Aku, they could easily handle a Dark Elemental. But there were others who were not warriors by trade that I had to worry about more.

"Extor."

"Not likely. I shielded his place. I knew his place with its technology would be needed. I wouldn't have sent the tribe there if I thought it wasn't safe."

That was a good enough answer for me.

"All right. Let me think here..." I struggled for a moment, concentrating hard. "The Canines, the Woolies...among the few I first met here. Triseraquins near the northern oceans."

"Anyone else?"

I tried to think, wracking my brain for anyone else who could have possibly helped me in these past months. More often than not, I travelled and fought alone. Most people were too afraid of invoking Aku's wrath to dare to help me.

"I once met a group of astronauts, but they have gone home. I do not know where their home is. Same for the Imakandi. They are far out in space." I said.

"And we can't get to anyone in space. Others?"

"A lava monster Viking, but he...he perished. Three monks who encouraged me to the top of Fatoum, if I knew where they were."

"You won't. They were phantoms, Jack. Asagi sent those three out to help you."

I paused for a moment, only partially surprised. Considering that Asagi's temple was in the mountains, I was not entirely surprised that those three monks were phantoms created and sent out by her to aid me, nor was I surprised that Chimitsu was aware of them. They did belong to her sister, after all.

"I am sorry. I cannot think of anyone else who has helped me. I will not ask any children to fight. I will not allow them to bear the burden I wear and have worn since I was their age. They need to be children and they need their families."

I winced at the bitterness in my own voice before Chimitsu continued.

"You mean the ravers?"

"Yes. They are just children," I told her softly, silently swearing to myself that Aku would not ruin their childhoods, even if he had ruined mine. "I know they and their families would stand up to Aku if I asked them, but I shall not. They are at peace now, they are not targets, and they need not know further violence and danger."

"Fair enough. Was there ever anyone _else_ you helped that we could find?"

I shook my head slightly.

"I am sorry. I cannot think of anyone I know of that I have met," I told her, glancing up with a sigh. "I rarely ask for help when Aku wants my head as bad as he does. I do not wish for anyone to suffer for my sake."

Chimitsu leaned against a tree with a hand at her chin, a thoughtful look upon her face. She was considering our options, but we did not have many. There were only so many people that Aku would have reason to go after for helping us.

"All right. Hmm. Well...we have already taken care of the Tribe and Extor is safe. The Scots should be fine. I don't think anyone in their right mind would want to face a castle full of hot tempered, battle-ready Scotsmen."

"That leaves the Canines, Woolies, and Triseraquins," I concluded.

"Which would be closer?"

"I do not know," I admitted. "I never kept a map. I simply kept wandering from place to place, trying to stay out of Aku's clutches."

She hmmed softly, trying to think of who to try to see first. I watched, trying to figure out where we were, but I had no clue. This world was vastly different than the one I came from and I had no possible way of keeping track of what place was where. It was why I was so surprised to find myself back at the ruins of Edo when I first met Chimitsu.

"Shit!"

I stared at her unladylike curse and turned to her. Her eyes were wide.

"Chimitsu-chan?" I asked cautiously.

"No time," she growled. "I feel them. I sense another one on the move."

I did not have time to ask how she knew or which one, her arms and wings quickly wrapping around me in a teleport. My head spun as we reappeared, still not used to teleports and she had performed this one before I had a chance to prepare myself for it. Yet it has served her purpose.

I held onto her for support as I regained my balance. Opening my eyes, I looked around, recognizing the landscape. She had transported us who knew how many miles to the land of the Woolies. But it looked vastly different than how I last remembered it.

When I had last left the Woolies after their liberation, they had begun rebuilding, replanting, their crops looking prosperous and healthy. Now it looked sickly, only a few grains on the heads of their wheat, a handful of apples on the trees. The buildings remained, but there seemed to be a feeling of despair in the atmosphere here as Chimitsu and I approached.

I was half expecting an attack to drop out of the sky at the urgency with which Chimitsu had brought us here. But we had no trouble entering the village. It seemed oddly quiet. I could not place the smell that hung in the air, but as forboding as it was, I was grateful it was not the sickly scent that accompanied Ekirei. Still, it sent chills down my spine the further Chimitsu and I went into the village.

_grrrrruuuumble_

I looked down at my stomach, surprised to hear its angry rumblings. I knew I had eaten before we had left Extor's, but it felt as if I had not eaten a thing in several days. Chimitsu had appeared unaffected, passing a banana my way, only to watch it shrivel to half its size before our very eyes. I blinked, eyes widening as I came to a dead stop, staring at the fruit in my hand.

"Did you see that?" I cried.

I noticed that Chimitsu was also staring at my hand. She nodded mutely, her eyes slightly wider than usual.

"I saw it, but what the hell caused it? That fruit was healthy when I picked it from the tree on the way into the jungle."

I nodded. And yet the minute she gave it to me here, it shriveled up like it had been starved, stunted.

"How odd," I mumbled absently.

"Something tells me I'd better not take any food and water out or it'll suffer the same fate as that banana."

I nodded and gave her the banana back, watching her tuck it away into her pack, which disappeared once more. We proceeded towards the city square, looking around for any signs of life, wondering which Dark Elemental had struck this time. I kept my katana close to my side, watching carefully, keeping alert for any sort of attack.

My stomach growled again, louder this time, and it almost hurt that time. I felt as if I was starving, desperately needing food. Chimitsu was still unaffected, yet I felt hungrier and weaker the closer we came to the square.

"There's been a spell cast here." she said.

"You feel it, too?"

"That and I hear your stomach growling louder and louder with each step we take. It's not Ekirei or MJ here."

I nodded in agreement.

"It does not feel like them. It feels...different."

She nodded and we approached the square, finally spotting the Woolies and an odd creature in a tattered cloak. I was not certain what it was, whether it was male or female, human or otherwise. Yet I felt that whatever It was, it was the cause of this starvation here.

The Woolies all looked starved, weak, yet they appeared to be protecting something or someone with their large bodies. The creature under the cloak reached out, a starved, bony hand, trying to beckon them closer. Yet they kept their bodies between the creature and whatever or whomever they were protecting.

I could hear Chimitsu draw her nodachi behind me, wondering what she was planning. Quietly, she unfurled her wings, taking a few steps ahead of me, holding the blade in a ready position, clearly ready to strike. Her legs bent, muscles coiled like a spring, wings out ready to give her gliding power.

And without a word, she sprang forward, the large blade out, slicing through the air towards the cloaked creature. The Woolies remained in place and I reached for my katana, ready to fight if necessary, even though I had hoped to avoid it for the sake of my old friends. They were weak with hunger, unable to move out of they way if they got caught in the crossfire and that was the last thing I wanted to have happen.

I watched as Chimitsu moved in, seemingly agonizingly slow.

At the last moment, the cloaked creature disappeared and Chimitsu's blade bit into the cloak and the dirt, but not the cloak's owner. The Woolies looked quite surprised at her sudden appearance, but not as shocked as I was to see what was under the cloak as she reappeared a few feet away from where she had stood a moment ago. She was...human, I suppose, but was about as attractive as a corpse.

Literally, she was all skin and bones, pale, her tattered peasant dress several sizes too large for her. Her hair was messy, thin, and her eyes were sunken in, just like her stomach, to the point of seeing her backbone through it. Chimitsu turned towards her, emerald eyes sparking dangerously, wings flaring out protectively.

"Ahh, at last you come," she rasped. Her voice sounded like the crackling of dead leaves. "I was wondering how long it would take to draw you two here." she said.

"Nanimono da?"1 I asked.

"I am Hideri, the Elemental of Famine. Feeling...hungry?"

At that time, my stomach tightened painfully, as if I had not had a bite of food in, well, longer than I had ever gone without. I felt weak, sick, even woozy. Sweat beaded on my forehead as I attempted to figure out what to do. I certainly could not fight when my stomach was in such agony. I felt as if she were ripping my insides apart.

"Let him go."

The pain paused in its uphill climb and she glanced towards Chimitsu, eyeing her carefully before finally releasing me. I fell to my knees, relieved to feel the intense ache subside, yet I still felt weak and hungry. So that was her power, why everything here looked so sickly and starved.

She had the power to invoke starvation.

"I see my power doesn't affect you, Chimitsu." she rasped again. Her dry, scratchy, sandpaper voice was starting to grate on my nerves.

"Of course not. So do you plan to stay to fight or are you going to run away like Ekirei and Mad Jack did?"

She did not move and did not react to the statement.

"As I recall, MJ didn't quite run away."

Her words were spaced carefully, with no hint of tone or inflection to them. She _sounded_ like death as much as she looked the part.

"But he didn't stay, either," Chimitsu reminded her.

I gave brief thought to how this Elemental knew of my encounter with Mad Jack, but did not dwell on it. Still on my hands and knees, I was preoocupied with thoughts of pulling myself to my feet.

"Now are you going to face us after you called us all this way or are you going to turn tail and run like the coward you are?"

She seemed to consider this for a moment. Her face remained expressionless, but for a sadistic, twisted glint in her dark, sunken eyes. For a moment, I thought she was going to take up Chimitsu's challenge and fight. But instead, she summoned her cloak back to her hands, wrapping it around herself to hide her starved looks. I struggled to my feet with my hand on the handle of my katana, ready to strike if she made any move towards the Woolies again.

"I've got my orders, little angel," she rasped. "Otherwise I would stay. And rather enjoy making you watch the little ones suffer. But now that you have arrived and we've been introduced, I must go. Until next time, little ones..."

She whipped her cloak around herself, spiralling it until both she and it had vanished. I quietly swore in Japanese, watching as Chimitsu sheathed the nodachi on her back between her wings again. That was the third Dark Elemental who disappeared without giving us much of a fight.

But they were not showing themselves for the sake of a fight and I knew it. They were simply making their presences known to us and giving us a taste of things to come. That sort of cowardice, I could not tolerate.

The air began to clear as it has when Eki had left the jungle, but the Woolies and their crops still looked incredibly starved.

I straightened and released the handle of my katana. If only I had been able to help them sooner, prevent this from happening. I walked over to Chimitsu as the Woolies began to break apart clearing a path for me towards whomever or whatever they had been protecting.

The fight was over and they knew me well enough to trust me to see what or who it was they were protecting. They may not have been samurai, but if something or someone was important enough to lay down their lives for, they would. That made their trust of me extremely precious.

"Hello, Jack, old chum."

That cultured accent. I would know that voice anywhere, just as I would know Duncan's. But I had never expected to see the little blue dog and his two friends here. The last time I had seen him, he and his companions were continuing their excavations in search of a link to their past.

He sounded weak and shaky and from the looks of his ribs sticking out through his blue fur, I could tell that they had been starved as well.

"Rothchild! What on earth are you doing here?" I asked.

He sat leaning against his two friends, his safari hat hanging lopsided off one ear and his monocle was missing. If the Woolies had not moved aside, I would not have known he was there. Granted, he was shorter than both myself and the Woolies to begin with, but the starvation made him seem even smaller.

"It's actually quite a long story. To make it short, we sought out the Woolies when Hideri struck a little over a month ago." he told us sadly.

I squeezed my eyes shut tight, forcing back the pain that burned in my chest at the thought of Hideri going out at about the same time Mad Jack and Ekirei did. They all knew. They all _knew_ I was down for the count and unable to come to help.

In knowing that, they had gone and attacked those who had helped me, whom I had helped, even the innocent children who believed in me. I tightened my grip upon the sheath of my katana, feeling my hand shaking in the horror of what I realized was happening. One by one, they were going after those we cared about, tormenting and destroying them, all because I continued to elude Aku.

For a moment, I considered simply turning myself in so that it would end.

"A month...all while I was in a coma..." I whispered.

He blinked, speechless for a moment, as if he could not believe that I could be so severely ill.

"You, Samurai Jack, in a coma?"

Chimitsu came forward, resting a hand on my shoulder.

"Long story. Put it this way, my dark twin, Ekirei, has the power to inflict illness and shot him with a blue orb in our last fight, keeping him unconscious for the duration of a month. It's why he and thusly myself, did not show up sooner to help. We couldn't do anything at the time." she said.

"Forgive me." I said quietly, unable to hide the regret in my voice.

Even though I was certain that the trembling was from his starvation, I could see the overwhelming grief of losing most of his people in his eyes. The heaviness in my chest seemed to expand and swallow me up completely. I knew that I could have done more, but it did not change the fact that I had failed to save them. It was my fault.

Rothie forced a weak smile in an attempt to bolster my spirits, but it did not help much and soon fell again.

"Oh, come now, chap, what's there to forgive?" he asked sadly, defeatedly. "It wasn't _your_ fault that this happened."

"But I certainly could have prevented it."

"Balderdash! You didn't make that creature attack and starve us and you certainly couldn't have done a thing to stop her as sick as you were when they attacked."

I flinched at his harsh, snapping tone and sudden glaring spark in his eyes. He was angry with me, but I failed to understand why. How could he fail to see that I was just as much at fault as the Dark Elemental? I clenched my fists at my sides in frustration, trying very hard not to snap back at him, but it was quite difficult.

He just could not understand that because I had not been more careful, not tried my best, countless Canines and Woolies had died at the hands of the Dark Elemental. I snapped around so quickly that several of the Woolies nearby took a startled step back and Rothie himself flinched at the suddenness of the motion. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest and heard the strain in my voice as I struggled to keep my emotions in check.

"Yet it is because of my very existence here, my contact with you, because you all _helped me_...that Aku has sent his minions out to cause all this suffering!" I cried tensely.

Despite his weakened state, Rothie's eyes narrowed and I could see the determination to fight within them.

"And we would gladly help you again. If we must suffer a little to see to it that Aku's tyrannical rule falls, then we will gladly do so. Those who died, they died fighting for what they believed in and that's their duty," he chided gently. "None of us see it as a problem. It's a risk we're willing to take. You're important to us, Jack, but our entire civilization doesn't hinge on the deeds of one man. It depends on all of us."

He managed to pull himself up to his feet and slowly walk over to me, resting his hand upon my shoulder. Slowly, I glanced up at him, seeing the firm reassurance in his eyes.

"Our suffering isn't important. What's important now is that you _are_ here and you are our hope for survival. You couldn't have arrived when this started, but that couldn't be helped, it wasn't your fault. You are only human, Jack, and only one man. You couldn't help us then, but you certainly can help us now. Do what you do best, samurai."

I sighed heavily, slowly opening my eyes to look at him and the others. They had suffered a great loss, all on account of helping me, even being associated with me, yet they smiled. They were happy to see me, still called me their hope for survival, even though Aku had taken many of their lives, just to get to me.

"How...how many have been lost?" I asked quietly, casting my gaze back to the ground.

"Now, now. You need not know that. This is a war, Jack, and casualties are inevitable."

My head snapped up and I glared at him. I had trained for twenty years to become a warrior and I did not need to be protected from the truth of just how many had been lost. It was painful, but unfortunately could not be avoided and I could not take it any longer.

"Damnit, Rothchild, how many have died because of me?"

The tears welled up in my eyes, flowing freely as I slammed my katana into the ground at my feet. I stood there for a moment with my hand clenching the handle so tightly that my knuckles turned white before I suddenly released it and wheeled around in an attempt to choke back the emotion that rose in my throat. Chimitsu stood a few feet away with a concerned, sympathetic expression on her face, neither speaking nor moving.

I could not stand this pain, knowing that my friends were suffering, dying, because Aku wanted me dead and because I had been unable to defend them. Faultless as I may have been, it was still more than I could bear.

Rothie finally gave a heavy sigh, removing his ruined hat and scratching an ear.

"What you see here...is all that is left of us and the Woolies."

I felt as if I had just been punched in the stomach. The very breath in my lungs was gone.

I fell, dropping to my knees beside my sword. My soul clenched tightly, twisting in an agony of cramps more painful than anything I had ever felt in my natural body. My eyes closed and I rested my forehead against the hilt of my blade.

Tears stung viciously at the backs of my eyes, licking like flames of a wildfire at my emotions. Oh, how I wanted to give in and really cry, to mourn the lost and expel this grief that was consuming every part of me. But I could not.

Not before my friends and Chimitsu. As it was, I coldly forced the tears that I had allowed to fall to stop in their tracks, even as they trickled from the corners of my eyes. With cold determination, I shut off my emotions, refusing to allow myself the freedom to show how much this all tore at me.

"I am sorry," I apologized emotionlessly. "I wish I had been here. Perhaps had I been here, they would not have died so needlessly."

There was a moment of silence before I heard Rothie's approach. I was too numb to look up or move, let alone push him away. Only when I felt his hands on my shoulders, did I even try to look up at him and meet his gaze.

"What's done is done. We can only pick up the pieces and move on," he told me reassuringly. "No amount of tears or praying or mourning will ever bring back those she took away from us."

I stood. He was right. They were gone. Just like the children and the tribe, they were dead. And they would not be coming back for any amount of sorrow.

"Chimitsu-chan...a portal, please," I requested, hearing the ice in my voice. "We need to get them to safety."

Without hesitation, she opened a portal to Extor's, motioning for them to hurry through. I kept my gaze to the ground, unable to meet any of their eyes as they walked through. Once the last Woolie had passed through, Chimitsu closed the portal once again before walking over to stand beside me.

"Minamoto-chan..." she murmured comfortingly.

"I cannot waste any more time. We have to continue on."

She quickly drew her hand back from my shoulder, startled at my tone. Even I was startled at the sharpness in my voice. She lowered her arm to her side and nodded, reluctant to push me to continue with our task.

"All right, if you feel like doing so."

I whirled around to face her.

"It is not a matter of whether or not I _feel_ like it, Chimitsu!" I snapped, feeling my grip tighten on the hilt of my katana, my hand shaking. "Right now, if it was up to that, no, I would not go anywhere. I would turn and head directly to Aku's, give him what he wants so that this suffering ends."

She blinked, a look of stunned confusion on her face. I could read her thoughts, and yes, I knew full well what I was saying. But death, at this point, seemed almost a welcome escape.

I felt my strength waver, the bitter tears stinging again, but I blinked them back, lowering my head again. My voice dropped and I could hear the ice in my own tone as I forced back the sorrow threatening to overwhelm me again.

"But I know that if I do that, the suffering will never end."

I watched her, not blinking, slowly feeling the emotion die as I set my heart and mind on a single goal.

"I cannot die with such a dishonor upon my soul. I have no choice. We have no choice. We are the only ones left to gather up those willing to fight and lead them against Aku."

I sheathed my katana, turning away from her as I looked over the abandoned village.

"We cannot rely on our emotions, Chimitsu-chan. There is only...honor and duty now."

I spared her the briefest of glances and saw that she looked as if she was ready to cry. This was as hard on her as it was me and probably doubly hard for her to push her emotions aside because she was a woman. But I had no time for sympathy at that moment.

"Jack, don't be so hard on yourself," she pleaded softly. I could feel her hand upon my shoulder as my eyes surveyed the death and destruction around us. "You're doing all that you can, doing your best. Don't shut yourself off from feeling pain or emotion. They wouldn't want you to do that."

I did not answer her. She stood back, curling her wings against her back, looking at me. She may have been right, but my emotions had to be pushed aside until I could afford the luxury of releasing them.

"Take me to the Triseraquin City." I said softly.

Without another word, she wrapped her arms and wings around me and in a fluffing of white feathers, we were off.

* * *

_1"Nanimono da?"_ I meant this to come out as "Who are you", but when I look at it, I think it's actually "What are you?" Heh. Take your pick. It can go either way. :P 


	35. Sanjuuyon: Heartrending Grief

We reappeared high above the rough northern seas. I could feel the force of the waves battering us, but I could not feel the water touching my skin. I reached out, wondering what was separating us from the water and found that Chimitsu had encircled us in some sort of magic bubble-shield. Without a word, we began to descend into the waves, the shield keeping air in and the water out.

The last time I had passed this way, I had nearly drowned before I had reached the Triseraquin City. I shuddered at the memory of my initial arrival, remembering how I had nearly been delivered to Aku. Had the Triseraquins not changed their minds, I would not have been in this bubble with Chimitsu now.

Pushing those memories aside with a sigh, I looked around through the bubble, and saw the city straight ahead. But this time, it seemed oddly quiet, almost deserted. I swallowed hard, feeling a mix of fear and dread rise in my throat at the sight. Were we too late?

Chimitsu guided the bubble through the area, but there was nothing, nobody to be found. It was so dark and silent, that I felt as if I were walking through a graveyard. Nothing moved, not even so much as a manta ray transport.

As I looked around, I knew that the sea creatures had fled, either out of fear or to escape certain doom. I shuddered at that thought and saw that many of the towers and protective bubbles of their buildings had been shattered, sending another cold chill down my spine. I felt sick to see that some of them had been toppled to the ocean floor, lying dark and empty without any signs of life to be found.

They had not been here for some time, which meant that they had either fled...or been destroyed.

One building remained relatively untouched, but darkened, even as Chimitsu guided the bubble straight towards the wall without any sign of stopping. I closed my eyes and braced for impact, but it never came. When I opened my eyes, I found that we had ghosted through the wall, something I did not look forward to repeating anytime soon.

Once we had touched down on the ground within the domed building, the shield disappeared and we were able to breathe in the air filtered through the building. From within, I could see through the clear bubble-ceiling to what was left of the city. Places where bubble-buildings lay on the ocean floor, some shattered atop their spires, and other spires broken where there should have been a bubble-building atop it.

She walked directly over to the enormous computer panel along the wall, pressed a sequence of buttons, and activated it. I did not understand what all the buttons did or how it even worked and hoped that Chimitsu did. She certainly seemed to.

I stayed where I was, keeping one hand on the handle of my katana at all times. I dreaded to think of what had happened here and prepared for a potential attack. Without anyone else here and no clue what had happened to the Triseraquins, we had no way of knowing if we would soon be under attack, or if the threat had left long ago with the residents.

With a shower of sparks, the computer rumbled to life and the room lit up. The flat holographic console in the middle of the room sparked and protested before activating as well. Holographic images flickered between Chimitsu and myself from the console, trying to replay some sort of scene before us.

It was difficult to make out what they were with the constant static interference. The images flickered in and out, the computer having difficulty keeping them going, but somehow, it managed to keep them clear enough for us to see what had happened here. The security cameras must have recorded the attack as it happened and the computers still worked enough for us to see it.

Over and over again, the images of the explosion tearing through the room played, the bodies of the Triseraquin operators being instantly vaporized into nothingness with horrified, pained screams. I could not understand their native language, but I did not have to. In the background through the windows, I could see the shadowy form of Aku looming over the city, smashing towers and blowing up others. Women, children, civilians, warriors, it mattered not whom he struck.

I could not hear their screams, only those of the technicians in the security tower we now stood in, but I could see them. I could see the horrified looks on their faces seconds before they were destroyed, running in terror in hopes of escaping.

They had never had a chance to fight for their lives, to defend their underwater city. They were wiped out in a single instant. I stood there in shock, unable to move or think, barely even able to breathe. All I could do was stare as the images played over and over again, the horrified screams assaulting my ears.

I squeezed my eyes shut tight in hopes of blocking such horrible images out, but it was of no use. They seemed burned in my mind, my very soul. I swallowed hard, feeling myself tremble with pain and rage as the shock began to melt away.

I knew exactly why Aku had come here.

As I had feared, the entire race had been obliterated by the vengeful hands of Aku himself, paying them back for the last time we met here.

Finally, the computer shorted itself out in a shower of sparks, darkening the room again as the images faded. Chimitsu quietly walked over to me, one hand resting on my shoulder. I said nothing, staring at the spot where the holograms had been.

One by one, my allies were being wiped out.

"Jack...you couldn't have helped them." she whispered, remaining very still where she stood a half-step behind me. "This far under the ocean, we couldn't have known that anything was going on here. Especially if Aku attacked so swiftly that they couldn't send anyone out to find you."

I squeezed my eyes shut. I wanted to speak, to curse myself, but the guilt was too heavy. I knew I could have done something. Even with fighting all the other Dark Elementals, there had to be something I could have done to prevent this.

"We have to move on." Her soft voice broke my thoughts and I realized that my fists were clenched at my sides so tightly that I could feel my nails biting into the skin of my palms. "The only way the lost souls will ever rest is if we destroy Aku and we can't do that down here."

I swallowed hard and forced back my emotions, taking a deep breath and letting it out again. It did not immediately help. "I thought they would be safe from harm down here," I managed through clenched teeth. The anger and sadness welling up inside me choked my voice. "I had chased Aku off once before...and he has never returned to a place he fled from.

I looked to her and read the concern and sadness on her face. For a moment, I was unable to continue.

"I know, Jack," she whispered, stroking her fingers lightly over my shoulder in an attempt at comfort.

I looked away, not feeling any better.

"He knew I would come back here," I continued, feeling a fresh wave of anger at the mere thought of "him". "That is why he always left them alone after I drove him out."

"Apparently he learned otherwise," she sighed sadly. "Perhaps he knew that you were occupied and attacked at the last moment."

Her hand dropped to her side and she looked away.

"I don't know why he did it. Perhaps he knew that you would seek them out for help and decided to remove them, to diminish our side a bit."

My head snapped up and I looked at her, realizing that the Triseraquins were not the only ones at risk in our absence.

"Chimitsu...if that is true," I began hesitantly, a new wave of emotion settling on me. "Then the Triseraquins will not be the only ones left out in the open unprotected."

She shook her head, seemingly unconcerned.

"If you're worried about Extor and the others, relax, I..."

"Take us to the Highlands."

For a moment, neither of us of us spoke. Extor and the others were safe in his hidden, protected base, but Duncan and his clan, their castle was out in the open. I could only imagine what Aku or his Dark Elementals could be doing to them at this very moment.

Her eyes widened and without another word, she wrapped her arms and wings around me and made the jump. I fell to my knees for a moment upon arriving, the cool air washing away the dizziness I felt. I did not give myself long to recover before standing, looking up at the towering castle. It was as dark and empty as the Triseraquin City.

A cold sweat rolled down my spine. We were too late. I closed my eyes and swallowed hard, trembling with fear. I dreaded to see what I feared we would find within those cold stone walls.

"Jack..." I turned to Chimitsu and saw that she had already taken a few steps toward the darkened castle, weapon in hand.

She paused, waiting for me as I drew my katana and followed. Somewhere in the back of my mind, a tiny flicker of hope remained, and I prayed that Aku and his emissaries had left this place alone. I would not be able to forgive myself if he had not. Not after gently brushing off Duncan's help when I had last left this place.

Chimitsu hung back a step as I passed her, eyes scanning for danger.

"It is too quiet here." I whispered.

Chimitsu nodded slightly and watched as I approached the heavy wooden door of the castle, pushing it open. The hair on the back of my neck stood up as I stepped inside. I could feel the sorrow and pain in the air. I could smell it; the scent of death and destruction. But at the same time that it made the air so foul to breathe, I could tell that it was only lingering effects of a spell cast and dispersed long ago. It did not rest so heavy on my chest as it had in the jungle and the Woolie village.

Darkness permeated the castle and chills ran up and down my spine as I stepped inside. I could feel Chimitsu right behind me, but her presence did little to calm my nerves. As soon as the door had closed behind her, a magical orb of light flared up, illuminating the castle's dining hall. I felt my breathing stop.

My katana lowered as I suddenly realized how heavy it was. Involuntarily, my grip loosened, and I nearly dropped it. Horrified shock set in as my eyes moved over the room and the dozens of still, lifeless figures. Nothing moved. Nothing breathed.

I staggered a few steps forward, feeling the bile creep up at the back of my throat. There was no blood, or visible sign of injury, and a distant part of my mind was grateful for that. Perhaps they had suffered less. At any rate, I knew for a fact that the sight of my friends' blood spilled over the room would have taken away my will to live right then and there.

And yet, if there HAD been a sign of a struggle, would that not have been somewhat comforting to me as well? These men were the bravest warriors I had ever laid eyes on, and they never stood a chance to defend themselves. Angus...Connor... My eyes traveled slowly over the crowd of vacant corpses. All of them...gone. Simply, utterly...dead.

I stumbled to one of the bodies, still wide-eyed with shock as I dropped to my knees and felt his hand. It was cold, dead flesh that my fingers touched. Any hope that I had possessed vanished in an instant, and I stumbled back to my feet, trying to catch my breath. My heart pounded in my ears, drawing any conscious thought as I felt my katana nearly slip again, and tightened my grip around the hilt.

I stumbled blindly toward the kitchen, following Chimitsu's orb as I pushed the heavy door open. The eerie silence was broken only by the sound of my gasped attempts at breath. The stoves had died out, the once bright, bustling room blanketed now in cold silence. Death lingered in the air, invading my nostrils and squeezing the air from my lungs. I could feel its icy grip around my heart and choked back another wave of nausea as I saw all the bodies. Deirdre...Heather...all the women that had been working in the kitchen. They were gone.

I fell back against the doorframe as my legs threatened to give out from under me. The pain was so intense, so fierce, I could hardly keep my hold on consciousness. He had taken the women of the clan as well? How...? How on EARTH...? How could he justify such a thing? They never would have fought him; they would not have been able to. To take their lives so mercilessly as the rest was an act without even the slightest hint of honor.

But there was no honor here. There was never any honor when it came to dealing with Aku. He had taken them, their very lives from them, as a matter of hurting me. He had used them like disposable items just to drag me out, to bring me to my breaking point and destroy me. He had _murdered_ them!

I swooned as I heard Chimitsu's soft footfalls echoing in the large hall behind me. She paused every few steps, checking each one of the fallen. There was no breath of life in any of them; I knew that. All around me was death and nothing more. She stopped behind me and I felt her hand slip into mine and squeeze tightly. I was unable to return it. I could hardly even breathe.

"Oh, Jack..."

She was breathless, as horrified and pained by this sight as I could feel that I myself was.

My eyes opened and I saw the destruction again. I shut them. It took a few tries before I was able to face the sight, and finally, I managed to turn to face the woman beside me. Her eyes were clouded with unshed tears, and her breathing came as staggered as my own.

Footsteps. Heavy, slow, footsteps.

Instantly, my katana was raised. It was only once I had assumed a ready stance that I considered how on Earth my body had responded so quickly. Chimitsu once drew her nodachi from the sheath on her back and stood beside me, braced and ready. I felt my heart pound, the adrenaline in my veins fueled by the spark of anger that was suddenly there to replace the anguish. I knew who was heading towards us, and with hands shaking around the hilt of my sword, I WELCOMED the approach. I wanted nothing more than to tear the creature who had done this, this ungodly DEMON who had done this, into a million tiny pieces.

"Duncan!"

The familiar figure stumbled towards us, out of the shadows. Chimitsu's weapon clattered to the floor as she lunged forward, catching him as he collapsed.

It took me a moment longer to respond, but I hurried to them as soon as I could make my legs cooperate. I dropped to my knees, suddenly feeling a tiny flicker of hope. He was alive. Duncan was _alive_!

He turned his head toward me and my hopes shattered. I could see the death in his eyes, the clouded vacancy as he tried unsuccessfully to focus them. He had been taken by the spell, too. Somehow, he was still alive. But barely, and only temporarily.

"So sorry, laddie...she struck...so fast..."

His voice was raspy, choked...so defeated. I felt my heart break as I reached toward him, sheathing my katana with my other hand.

"Shh..." Chimitsu whispered "We will get you to a doctor..."

"It's t'late fer that," he choked as I desperately, hopelessly tried to find _something_ to do to help. "I'm only alive because she wished it."

_She_ wished it? That thought stunned me. She had wished for him to live? Was it only to suffer more?

"Why?" I questioned.

My hands shook slightly as I took his hand. There was nothing more that I could do. Chimitsu cradled his head in her lap.

"So ye'd know what she'd done here."

My stomach turned. So he had the answer to the question that had been nagging at me since the moment I had laid eyes on the scene. He knew what had happened. He had lived through it, if only to tell me...

"What...?" I choked, barely able to form words. "What has she done?"

His eyes faded and he closed them, turning his head away. Panic set in unexpectedly and I gripped his hand harder.

"Duncan!"

"Came at night..." he breathed, reassuring me of the life that was still in him. It took me a moment to listen to his _words_ for my intent concentration on the sound of his voice. "Late...we were tired an' drunk, 'bout to retire..." He coughed slightly and I felt his grip flex just slightly as he heaved a few breaths. "Swept through th' castle like a plague..." he finally managed between struggled breath.

Defeat rested so heavily on him, I could feel its weight even on me. He forced his eyes open, his gaze locking on mine, and I felt grief shoot through me as I suddenly saw all of the raw emotions he was trying so hard to mask. His life wsa slipping, the light in his eyes growing dimmer, and I felt that same panicked protest rise up in my chest.

"You are all right, Duncan," I tried desperately to reassure him. "You will be all right..."

"They all fell..." His eyes turned to the ceiling and he stared blankly at it, growing more and more distant with each shallow breath. "Watched 'em as they collapsed where they were. There was nothin' we could do to stop it..."

"Duncan, we will get you help," Chimitsu said softly, realizing as I was that he was fading.

"Forced me t'watch them go, then struck me, too."

I doubted that he was listening to either of us. He seemed so distant, as if he could somehow separate himself from the pain.

"Wanted me 'live long 'nough t'see the two of you."

I held his hand tighter and his eyes turned to me, coming back into focus.

"She kills with 'er touch," he breathed. "Controls when 'n where ye die..."

I nodded, if only to appease him. For as long as his eyes were on mine, perhaps I could reach him.

"Duncan...please do not give up."

His eyes slid closed again as he sighed in defeat.

"I'm sorry..."

A spark of anger flared up inside of me. Not at him, or even at the Dark Elemental who had done this, but at myself.

"No," I stated firmly. "I should be the one that is sorry."

"We didn't have a chance to fight..."

I gritted my teeth, trying to choke back my emotions.

"I should not have left you all here."

"Her spell struck before we 'ad a chance to reach our swords..."

"I should have come back to fight at your side!"

"Even took Dee and the others...women..."

"Damn it!"

"...all the women as they worked on cleanin' the supper dishes."

My entire torso shook as I felt the weight of all their deaths come to rest squarely on my shoulders.

"This is all my fault..."

I was quite sure he did not even hear me. He was somewhere far away, lost in his own pain.

"My Muffin's gone...the whole clan gone in a blink of 'n eye..."

I dropped his hand as my internal anger turned to rage.

"I _never_ should have come to this time! I should have died then!"

"Jack..."

Chimitsu's soft voice did nothing to ease the searing pain in my soul.

"I should never have been born in the first place! All my life has ever caused anyone is death and pain!"

Suddenly, I felt his hands clench the front of my kimono. I resisted the urge to tear away from him and forced my eyes to meet his, well aware of the anger and self-hatred he would surely see there.

"Now don' ye be blamin' yourself for all this," he ordered, his voice firm and determined. "I don' ever wanna hear you blame yourself like that 'gain or say that you wish ye'd never been born. Tha's not the Jack I know."

The rage mingled with sadness took away my ability to respond.

"Pull yourself together, lad, an' do what ye always do in this world!"

Even as he was breathing his last few breaths, that feisty Scottish spark was in his eyes. Even as weak and choked as his voice was, he still spoke with authority.

"I know I'm a dyin' man right now, but I swear that if ye ever give up on yourself and your quest, I'll come back an' give ye the thrashin' of a lifetime that ye soon won' forget, y'understand?"

I could not promise him that. I could not even promise myself that I could find the will to continue, or even to live. Something inside of me _yearned_ for the peace my death would cause. People were dying in my name, and that was a responsibility I could not bear. But for his peace, I nodded my head.

He breathed out, eyes sliding closed as he turned his head away, finally releasing my kimono.

"Don' let them die in vain, laddie," he breathed. "Ye and your angel girl..."

He cast a lingering glance and a forced smile up at Chimitsu.

"Both of you, fight on. We don' want you t'mourn us forever."

His eyes turned back to mine, tired and sad.

"The only way we'll ever be able t'rest peacefully is if you destroy Aku. If ye give up...this world won't 'ave any hope left."

He tried again to raise his hand, but found that he did not have the strength to clench my kimono again. I took his hand instead in mine, and he grasped it tightly, dim eyes pleadingly locked onto mine.

"Swear to me ye won't give up," he whispered, his voice fading as his strength drained away. "...that you'll fight...and...destroy that...demon...for us."

I swallowed hard as his breathing became more shallow, his life fading away. Bitter pain rose up again in my throat. I wanted to promise him, promise them all, but I was not certain that I would be able to follow through. It was all just too much for me to bear yet.

"I promise, Duncan-san," I lied, the words burning my lips. "I will see Aku fall or die trying."

It felt so wrong, so dishonorable to lie to him. And yet I knew he would not leave me in peace if he did not believe the words I spoke. He smiled weakly, relaxing a bit more againt Chimitsu's lap as his eyes slid closed, his voice dropping to a barely audible breath of air.

"Don' forget us, eh?"

"I will not forget the bravest man I have fought with here in this world."

That, I knew was true. Never in all of eternity would I forget him or his clan.

His eyes opened slightly and he smiled softly as I gripped his hand more tightly. For a moment, he appeared to have more to say, but his strength faded away before he had the chance. I suddenly felt his weakened hold on my fingers go completely slack, and death settled over him like a dark, peaceful blanket.

For the first time, I felt tears well up in my eyes as I held his limp, lifeless hand. Chimitsu cradled him against her chest, sobbing quietly as I bowed my head low. There was a peace to his departure and yet...it was so wrong.

I felt cold, as empty and lifeless as the bodies around me. The tears that had threatened to overflow were fading now into a pool of complete and total nothingness that was gathering inside of me. He was gone, and his blood covered my hands.

I could never forget them, but the memories were so painful to think about that I found myself shoving them into a back corner of my mind, covering them with a blanket of numbness that rested over me. His memory would live there in me; that promise I would never forsake. But although I had given my word that I would fight, that I avenge him, I knew deep inside that I had lied. I could not breathe for the anguish of his death, much less fight.

Even when I had been thrown into the future, even when I had learned of what had happened to my parents, how they had died from overwork and despair in Aku's mines... I had never thought anything could hurt more than that pain. I knew now that I had been wrong. I had been horribly wrong. Nothing had ever struck so deep a chord in my emotions as to hold my best friend's hand as he died. And to know, deep inside of me, that it was entirely and completely my fault that his life had ended so abruptly.

Off to the side near the stairs, I caught sight of a shifting shadow. The ghost of death approached, her hand outstretched to take away the last breath of life from my friend. I raised my eyes to the Dark Elemental. But somehow, I could not find the will to stand, to fight. No doubt, she had been watching us, letting Duncan say what he had lived to say before cutting his life short.

It was Chimitsu who stood, her weapon instantly back in her hands as she stood braced between us. I watched her with a strange sort of detachment as Duncan's last words played over and over in my mind.

_"Swear to me ye won't give up...that you'll fight and destroy that demon for us..."_

But they did not motivate me, even in the face of the demon he had spoken of. I could not rise and take up my sword. It felt pointless and although a part of me screamed for justice, I knew I had already lost the battle.

Chimitsu was angry. I could feel her fury from where I knelt, beside Duncan's lifeless body. I could see the cold, sadistic glint in the enemy's eyes, even as Chimitsu attacked, her blade biting into the floor. The Dark Elemental hovered back up the staircase, towards the upper levels of the castle, like a thief of souls.

I spared one last look at the body lying beside me and followed. I did not hurry, though a part of me felt that I should. Rather, my feet dragged, my eyes fading in and out of focus as I approached the second floor and watched them with a distant, detached amusement as Chimitsu stood face to face with her.

A soft laugh cut the air as the Dark Elemental backed away, never speaking a word as she hovered there, waiting for the attack to come. I could not help but wonder why it was me she was looking to and not the one who stood before her armed and ready for battle. I certainly had no will or strength to reach for my own blade. I only stood, completely devoid of any feeling as Chimitsu faced her, apparently waiting for the right moment.

"Who are you?" I asked, marveling at the amusement in my own voice. This woman, this being, this _demon_ had just slaughtered my friends...and I felt nothing but empty numbness.

She stood with her robes wrapped around her like a dark cloak, her pale skin standing out like a ghost in the darkness. Another soft laugh filled the air and she hovered away as Chimitsu drew close, still intent on her destruction.

"I am known by many names, samurai." she answered softly, her voice emotionless.

"I need only know one." I replied quietly.

"Fuki," she replied. "The Elemental of Death."

"You massacred them," Chimitsu growled, her voice choked with anger. I could not remember even hearing so much emotion in her voice. "You sent all these innocent men and women to their deaths with a single spell! Not even a second thought!"

"Indeed." Fuki nodded calmly, smoothly.

Chimitsu growled audibly, but did not strike. I studied her for a moment, then looked to her opponent.

"Why?" I asked.

"It is my nature, white warrior," she answered me. "I exist to kill, to bring death indiscriminately to mortals like yourself."

I considered that for a moment.

"Did you do so on order from Aku or of your own free will?"

"A little of both."

I felt a faint flicker of sadness inside me, but nothing more. In a way, I was glad. I would not want her to see just how intensely she had hurt me. And I knew, somewhere beneath the wash of numbness, she _had_ hurt me. She had hurt me so deeply that I was not sure I even wanted to continue living, much less continue fighting.

I studied her for a moment. Odd...there was something different about her. Even though she was clearly a Dark Elemental, a warrior for Aku's cause, I could see a faint glimmer of compassion in her eyes.

"You...you look apologetic." I realized out loud.

"The part of me that has her duty to the circle of life and death, regrets taking those who were not meant to be taken yet," she replied softly. "The part of me that loves and serves Aku? No. That part of me regrets nothing."

That was an amusing thought indeed. She served Aku of her own free will, it seemed. Even so far as to claim love for him. How did one love a being that was so...evil?

"Is that why you did it" I questioned. "Why you followed his orders? You love him?"

I had never even considered such a thing.

She stepped towards me and Chimitsu growled audibly, placing herself and her nodachi in the enemy's path. Fuki regarded her with interest, then hovered back towards a window that I knew dropped several stories down to the meadow below.

"Now is not the time to answer questions, samurai." she offered.

"And why not?" I challenged weakly "I would think that after all the death you have caused here, you would owe me some sort of explanation."

"Not now," she replied firmly. "Save your questions for another time and place. For now, the hands of Death shall not touch any more innocents."

I regarded that statement with the same sort of detached amusement that had lingered through the conversation.

"I suppose I should be grateful for that."

But in truth, I was not grateful. I felt nothing.

She did not answer, passing through the wall and out the window, disappearing into pale mist. For a long moment, there was silence. I stared at the spot where the mist had been as Chimitsu resheathed her weapon and turned to me. Her face was a myriad of emotions, far too confused to even try and sort through. Tears stained her cheeks, but they were no longer flowing. Anger burned in her eyes, and pain.

For a long moment, we did not exchange words. Neither one of us moved. Finally, I looked away.

"Gather up the dead," I instructed quietly. "I will go and begin digging the graves."

"Jack..."

Her voice was so pleading, so shattered, that I spared her one last glance ovr my shoulder. I was not sure what she expected me to say. I certainly could not change what had happened here, even if I could and _would_ prevent it from happening elsewhere. I would not allow any more innocent lives to be lost for my own existence.

I held her stare just long enough to see the tears pooling again in her eyes, then looked away again and started down the stairs. At the bottom of the staircase, I stood still for a long moment, looking over the complete emptiness in the dining hall, remembering how lively it had been when I had first seen it. Now, it felt as empty as it looked, my heart numb with shock and sorrow.

I lowered my hand, and brushed the hilt of my katana, but a lingering glance at Duncan's body stayed me, if only for the moment. He deserved a proper burial, as they all did, and Chimitsu could not do that on her own. Only when they were properly cared for would I take care of myself.


	36. Sanjuugo: Lust

**Mad Jack**

I realized that I was pacing, and figured that by this time, I had probably begun wearing a path in my floor. I could _feel_ his anguish, the growing agony that was a gift from Fuki. But it was not enough. He felt defeated, that much was true. But I knew my enemy too well to assume he would _ever_ stay down for long until he was well and _dead_.

At least he couldn't return to the Central Hub again anytime soon. Not when the people there thought he'd killed all those children. He'd be a fool to return there and risk another confrontation like that again. Of course, there were other cities... But it didn't matter. We were breaking him. Slowly, torturously breaking him. I could feel his thoughts of despair, his impending breaking point. Still, until he was dead...

I ignored Ekirei as she sat perched on the square pillar at the bottom of the railing that wound down my staircase. She'd enjoyed her encounter with our originals as much as I had. The screams, the panic, the suffering, all as the city came crashing down around its citizens. The feeling of life bleeding away from those who'd dared to try to get in our way as I drained them with my own two hands. The look of shock and pain on Minamoto's face when he'd seen what we'd done.

It had been so very delicious.

Yet I knew that she, too, displeased with how long it was taking to wear Minamoto down. There was something holding him together, and I had a feeling I knew what it was. There was _always_ someone there to help him. This time it was that damned Wind Elemental. And even if she couldn't help him, even if she couldn't _fix_ what we were doing to destroy him, this wasn't over until he was _dead_, damn it! Until then, there was always the possibility that she would pull him through, or he'd pull himself through, or some blasted _idiot_ would step in to help him!

I could feel Ekirei's eyes on me and I spared a glance at her. Her black wings were curled around herself, her green eyes lustily watching me as I paced back and forth. Something inside of me stirred, but I growled audibly as I forced it back. We didn't have time for that now. Lord Aku would flay us both alive if he caught us screwing our brains out while we were supposed to be working.

"MJ, you keep doin' that, you're gonna wear a hole in the floor." she informed sultrily.

I spun, glaring at her.

"I don't see _you_ coming up with any bright ideas!" I snapped. "If we don't figure out a way to separate the Wind Elemental and my original for good..."

"I still don't see why we have to separate the two," she interrupted. "We can wear him down in other ways."

"We've _tried_ that already, Eki!" I cried, frustrated. "And what's to say he's not getting _stronger_ with each one of his little friends we kill?"

She rolled her eyes at me.

"I hardly think..."

"There's something else," I cut her off. "He's so _fucking_ close, but I know he could still recover."

"_How_ do you know it?" she demanded.

I growled at her, resisting the urge to tear her head off her shoulders.

"Because I can feel it," I hissed. "He's hurt. _bad._ But there's still that one goddamn _flicker_..!" I spun and punched the nearby wall, hard enough to put a few cracks in it. "...inside of him! And if something, _anything_ triggers that, all of this is for _shit_!"

She tilted her head a bit as she stared at me, seemingly amused by that.

"And you think Chimitsu may do that." It wasn't quite a question.

"Why not?" I challenged. "I can feel he's in fucking _love_ with her!"

"You really believe that?"

I couldn't tell, from the way she said it, if she believed it or not. I growled at the challenge nonetheless.

"The only reason he hasn't fucked her _senseless_ by now is because he's fucking afraid!"

That seemed to amuse her.

"Afraid of what?"

"Rejection, getting his white sheets dirty, failure to _fucking_ perform!" I yelled. Eki laughed at that, nearly falling off her perch. "How the _fuck_ do I know? She's a fucking immortal and he _knows_ it. And he don't think it can work!"

"Technically, it can't," she shrugged.

I glared at her, if only because she was the nearest target for the hatred I felt toward my original.

"That's assuming he even figures out how the fucking _parts_ fit."

She laughed again.

"Well, if he can't figure _that_ out, I don't see that we really have anything to worry about," she grinned.

I let out another frustrated growl, turning and clearing the nearby table with one sweep. The contents fell and shattered on the marble floor and I began pacing again, my anger not appeased. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught her pouty look.

"So, what, we're trying to make sure the two of them don't fuck?" she asked sarcastically.

My eyes narrowed into slits as I stared at the floor beneath my feet. Getting to him and Chimitsu directly wasn't an option. They had both proven that they could kick our asses any day they wanted to. Or at least Chimitsu had. Minamoto had put up a decent enough fight, but no mortal was a match for us.

"They can _fuck_ all they want as long as he's still ready to throw himself off a goddamn cliff when they're _done_!" I yelled back at her. "I could care less if..."

I was cut off as the palace doors suddenly slammed open. I instinctively reached for the katana that never left my side, not in the mood for unexpected company.

Netami stood before me in her slinky ice-blue dress. I was well aware of the fact that she would not have come here without a damn good reason, but I couldn't help but notice all that she _wasn't_ wearing beneath the sheer, transluscent dress. I calmly held her gaze in spite of it, my hand moving away from the hilt of my katana as I slowly relaxed. She was hardly a threat.

I had never seen her outside of Aku's fortress, but she wasn't confined there and could move about as she pleased. Yet I still knew that this wasn't a casual housecall.

"Netami...to what do we owe the honor of your presense here?"

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see that Ekirei didn't look all that happy to see her.

"Aren't you supposed to be leaving to meet up with the Wind Elemental and the samurai?" Eki asked. Her voice dripped with icy sarcasm and I glanced over my shoulder at her. She looked even less happy to see Netami than she sounded.

Netami ignored Ekirei's icy glare as she walked over to me. I folded my arms loosely over my chest as she approached and watched her impassively, even as she traced a fingertip along my jaw. I could _smell_ the pheromones that radiated from her, but ignored them for the time being. If I didn't have time to fuck Eki- and I _knew_ she was good- then I didn't have time for her, either. Even so, I sensed Ekirei tense behind me, and heard a slight growl from her throat. The tension thickened in the air between the two women.

"Actually, Eki, I am," Netami replied, her eyes shifting briefly to Eki, then back to me. "But...I request MJ's help."

This woman never ceased to amaze me. Everything she did, every word she said, it _dripped_ sex. I'd never in my life seen any being, immortal or otherwise, who could be so inherently sexy and yet holding so little appeal to me. I knew she had to be good as all fucking hell in bed, and I certainly wouldn't pass up the _opportunity_ to do her. But it had never even crossed my mind to _pursue_ her. She seemed too entirely...fake for my liking.

"You need his help?" Eki shot. "What the hell for?"

A brief exchange of glares and Netami looked to me again, fingers trailing down the side of my neck.

"It's really none of your business, Eki, just part of my plan."

"If it involves you and MJ, it most certainly is my business."

I sighed softly at the both of them Netami for blatantly _trying_ to make Eki jealous and Ekirei for _falling_ for it. Last thing I needed was to be in the middle of a goddamn catfight. I pushed Netami back and glanced over my shoulder at Ekirei.

"Eki, chill. If she's got a plan, let's hear it before getting all pissy, eh?"

Ekirei settled back on her perch, hunched over her knees and looking quite chastised as I turned back to Netami. The lust was apparent in her eyes, but I ignored it. It made no difference if it was me or my twin, she wanted to fuck anything she laid eyes on. I knew full well what her element was...

"What do you have in mind, Netami?" I asked, crossing my arms again and regarding her with feigned interest.

"Weeelll..." I raised an eyebrow at her teasing tone and took a small step back as she made a move toward me again. She got the message and stopped, resting her delicate hands instead on her hips. "I know you and Ekirei have been wanting to rip the happy couple apart, and I think I know how."

"Oh?" Okay. She had my attention now. "How?"

"Disguise yourself as Minamoto again."

I laughed as I shook my head.

"Netami, don't be foolish," I snapped at her. "Chimitsu and Minamoto neither one'll fall for that again."

She smiled, her fingers slipping into the dress somehow and tracing up and down her side. Must be a slit in the side of the fabric. Again, I offered a raised eyebrow. But nothing more. Seduction didn't work _near_ as well when you were _expecting_ it.

"I never said anything about facing them directly," she shrugged, fingers working down to her hip and then withdrawing. "It worked the last time you met them, didn't it?"

I paused, thinking back to my last encounter with my original. I hadn't faced him directly. Posing as him, I'd caused what damage I could, and was as myself before he ever saw me. Nevertheless, my charade had certainly done wonders on the townspeople. They'd turned on him without a fucking _clue_ as to the difference.

"All right..." I admitted cautiously. "So what do you want with me dressed as my original?"

She flashed me a devious smile.

"When they enter the next city, I will cause them to feel intense lust for each other."

"Well, _that_ won't be hard," I smirked. "Except I doubt you're gonna get 'em to fuck on the streets. They'll split up before it comes to that."

She licked her lips, her smile broadening. "That's the idea."

I cocked my head to the side a bit as I considered that. "Come again?"

"I _want_ them to split up."

I sighed, already seeing a few holes in her plan.

"Netami, even if they split, what good will it do? Your spell is only temporary and it won't affect Chimitsu. Besides, we've brought them to Lord Aku's twice and both times they escaped. It's more than a matter of separating and overtaking them. We need to drive them _apart_."

"It doesn't need to affect her. Jealousy and lust will do that for us..."

Her two ruling elements and emotions. Of course she would impliment them. But I couldn't help feeling a bit confused.

"How will that split them up?"

"Not only will it separate them," she smiled. "But it will be distinctly painful for Minamoto in the process."

I was losing patience with the game. It was time for her to lay it on the line.

"_How_?" I demanded.

"Chimitsu will leave him. All she needs is to see you, dressed as him, and betraying her." I raised an eyebrow. "A quick glimpse is all we'll need. With all the stress those two are under, they're not going to sit and talk it out, and figure out what happened. Not when they're both mourning as they are. She'll flee, hurt and betrayed, and he'll be broken upon knowing that she wants nothing to do with him."

I studied her for a moment, a bit skeptical.

"And how do you propose to wound her enough to make her flee his very presence?"

She laughed quietly, folding her slender arms over her breasts.

"Tell me, would _you_ want to see your lover engaged with another?"

Ekirei figured it out.

She launched herself from her perch, leaping towards her rival. With a disinterested sigh, I reached out and grabbed Eki by the waist, tugging her back and away from Netami. She screeched and swore, her wings battering me violently as I pulled her back. Netami took a few quick steps back out of the way, grinning nastily at Eki.

"Ekirei!" I snapped. "Cool it with the goddamn jealousy already!"

She growled as she struggled hard against my grip and I slammed her down hard on her feet, placing myself between the two of them and glaring at her.

"She's got a _point_, for cryin' out loud. It ain't like she's asking me to fucking _marry_ her!"

Ekirei shot me a dangerous look, glaring hard first at me, then at Netami. I returned the look, standing still with my feet firmly planted. I had zero interest in Netami and doubted that she had any real interest in me but for the sake of the plan. Hell, she probably knew Ekirei would tear her apart if she'd come to me for any reason other than to kill Minamoto.

A low growl escaped Eki's throat, but she backed off, hovering back onto her perch on the banister. Her eyes blazed hate aimed directly at the other Elemental. I adjusted my leather jacket and slowly turned back to Netami, still considering the prospect of this plan. The more thought I gave it, the more confidence I had in it. If it all went off without a hitch, it would indeed be a _hard_ blow to the two of them.

"You have my attention, Netami." I offered, eyeing her carefully. "I'll go along with it. But we must make certain that Chimitsu will pass our way."

"Oh, that will be easy," she shrugged. "That's where Ekirei comes into play."

I could sense Eki's surprise from where I stood.

"How?" she demanded.

Netami smiled wickedly at her.

"You have a link to Chimitsu, don't you?"

I turned to the side, so I could see both of them. Ekirei was _not_ smiling.

"Yes," she snapped back. "What's that got to do with it?"

"Everything." Netami took a small step forward, running her fingers through her hair. "We'll need you to sense where she goes and where she's headed after she and Minamoto take separate paths." She shrugged a bit. "Perhaps you'll even be able to nudge her along our way so as to ensure that she sees us."

Eki growled softly, still not satisfied.

"And what do I get for sharing MJ with you?"

Netami chuckled softly, much to Eki's dismay I was sure. I didn't have to think about what I'd be getting. I would get a free fuck with a woman who was quite literally a sex goddess. She might not have been interesting to me as a person, but damn if I wasn't willing to fuck her senseless once or twice. Eki, on the other hand, was harder to convince.

"The satisfaction in seeing your original and the samurai torn apart from each other," Netami reminded. "You may even get to take after Chimitsu yourself." She licked her lips a bit as she stepped forward. "Wouldn't that be the icing on the cake for you, Ekirei? To shred off your original's wings and kill her by your own hand?"

"Lord Aku will never allow that, Netami." Eki answered coldly.

"Pah. He doesn't give that much of a damn about the Wind Elemental."

Her eyes flashed as she stepped closer still. That same lustlight that had flickered towards me just moments before was back. But now, it was a different _kind_ of lust she was drawing out. Eki certainly had no sexual attraction to her. Yet it was still lust. For this victory she spoke of. She was drawing on Ekirei's _blood_ lust.

"He only wants her dead to seal off the Light Elemental Circle. He'd be more pissed if you destroyed Minamoto. I think he'd excuse it if you killed Chimitsu."

I saw Eki's eyes flash as she probably unknowingly fell prey to the intentions of the other Elemental. I heard her hop down off her perch and walk over to me, her heels clicking against the marble. Netami watched us with an icy, sadistic glint in her eyes. Her gaze flickered to mine, and she smiled wickedly. I hid my grin. But it was perfectly evident that I was going to _really_ enjoy this part of our mission.

"All right," Eki stated. "You've got yourself a deal, Netami." I felt her wrap her arms around my midsection, her hands reaching up to rub against my chest. "I'm willing to share, just this once." She straightened a bit, her grip tightening possessively. "But if it doesn't work, no more deals. You find some other way to destroy the Light Elemental pair."

Her chin rested on my shoulder, looking at Netami from over it, her breathing soft in my ear. A slow grin formed on my lips as I toyed with the idea of doing them both instead of only doing Netami. Surely _that_ would be a surprise to my twin's dear Elemental.Eki's hands ran to my sides, beneath my jacket, and she nipped at my ear, as if to prove one last time that I was taken.

In spite of her efforts, she was wrong. I didn't belong to only her. And if it came up, I would fuck another woman just as fast. I did who I wanted when I wanted to. At this moment, that "who" was only her...and Netami for the sake of this adventure. It would certainly be _interesting_ to have her, just to try it out. But as for ever seeing her again? Netami didn't interest me in the slightest.

She was cruel with her lovers and I knew it. She would chew you up and spit you out, leaving you wanting more, only to find she wouldn't give it to you. I'd seen it before, watching her toy with mortal men, stringing them along and then cutting them loose when it was getting good for them. Like her element, Lightning, she struck when and where she wanted, indiscriminately, sometimes destroying, sometimes striking harmlessly.

She was much too unpredictable for me to want to have anything to do with her for any amount of time. All I needed was a fucking tease in bed with all the _other_ stress in my life.

"Where do you think they'll head next?" I asked Eki, my eyes still tracking Netami as she stepped close.

"Probably the closest one to the Highlands."

I could hear the distraction in her voice, and she stiffened as Netami approached and rested one hand on my shoulder.

"Hub Four," I considered. Eki's hands clasped over my abs as Netami's fingertips ran up the side of my neck. "Don't think Minamoto's passed through there yet." Still, Eki didn't protest, and I grinned as I placed one hand over hers, the other going to Netami's hip and the sheer fabric that glided under my hand. "Fun. He'll be wandering aimlessly there."

"Should be enough to keep him away from Chimitsu," Netami smiled, pressing in a little closer. Oh, I could _definitely_ get used to this.

"Perhaps some insurance, MJ?" Eki prodded.

"I can take care of that." Netami assured.

"What're you planning?"

"My spell induces lust and jealousy." She smiled as her eyes ran down my body in blatant appraisal. With Eki's hands travelling downward until they slipped under my belt, and Netami's look, I could feel myself hardening slightly. "Don't tell me you haven't seen the way the women look at him."

I raised a brow at that. Of course I'd seen how the women looked at my original. It was his looks, yes, and the whole way he carried himself. Women had stared at me quite differently, even though our looks were virtually identical.

"Go on..."

Eki "went on" and I jumped in surprise as I reached down instinctively and grabbed her wrist, withdrawing it as I shot her a glare. She was smiling, in spite of it, and didn't look the least bit chastized.

"I can set all of them or a few after him and on each other," Netami smirked. "Lusting after him, jealous of each other, fighting for a piece of his cute little ass..." Her fingers traced my jaw, drawing my eyes back to her. "He'll be so busy fighting them off and trying to get away that we'll have plenty of time to deal with the Wind Elemental."

I felt a grin creep across my face. That'd work just fine to keep Minamoto busy before he realized what we were up to.

"Nice," I nodded. "We all know just how much Minamoto hates being hit on."

"Oh hell yes..." she whispered back, grinning evilly. "And if one pretty lady politely hitting on him makes him uncomfortable and shy, imagine what would happen if a whole mob of lusting women are ready to tear his clothes off..."

I tried to imagine my original being mobbed like some teenybopper boy band idol, but failed miserably. Nevertheless, I couldn't control the laughter that came with the attempt. It'd torment my original to no end to be chased like that, especially in an unfamiliar area where he wouldn't know where to hide. Oh, that would be perfect!

"I like the way you think, Netami," I laughed, relishing the bit of sadism while it lasted. "You know how to perfectly tease and humiliate him."

"And then to have Chimitsu turn on him while he knows that all he's been doing is running like hell _away_ from such women..." she whispered back, scritching her nails lightly along the side of my neck.

"Oh, I'm so glad I have the connection to at least _feel_ his torment if I can't see it."

"Perhaps I can watch him for you, MJ." Eki suggested, leaning up to kiss and nibble along my jaw.

"No, that's probably not a good idea," I considered, glancing at her. "If he sees you, he'll know that we're behind all this and figure everything out before he's supposed to."

"Aww, you're no fun," she pouted.

"As much fun as we'll be having anyhow, we have to stay focused and take care of those two. Minamoto will be tormented and broken by his own Wind Elemental and that'll have to be enough for us."

I smiled as I leaned in and kissed her deeply, raising my hand to the back of her head and holding her lips to mine for a long moment as I explored her mouth, then pulled away slow. Netami's eyes sparked as our gaze locked, and she leaned in to me, her lips parting against mine as she took her turn. She rubbed against me and I could definitely feel my cock hardening now. Ekirei kissed my neck as I slid my hand into the slit at the side of Netami's dress, caressing her skin lightly.

Finally, I pulled away. I needed a breath. And I needed to be able to walk. And as much as I would have _liked_ to do them right there on the marble floor, there were more important matters to attend to. For now.

"So when do we leave, ladies?" I asked, pulling both of my hands back.

"Anytime," Netami answered, licking her lips. "Lord Aku's already expecting me to be in Hub Four as it is right now, so I've already lost some time."

I straightened a bit. That was a nice bucket of cold water...

"Then it's best not to keep him waiting," I murmured. "We all know what happens to those who keep him waiting a bit too long."

The jump was instantaneous. Once we had reappeared, I sent Ekirei off. I intended on staying right here in this alleyway, where Chimitsu could easily see us. The instant she was gone, I turned to Netami and grinned. She watched my eyes as her elegant dress changed into a halter top and microskirt, but she kept the high heels. I watched the transformation before making my own, the leather jacket and tight jeans I wore changing into a loose white kimono identical to Minamoto's.

She smiled as she slid one leg between mine and rubbed hard at the slight bulge in the kimono. With an answering grin, I scooped her up and backed her against the wall. She moaned, and her legs spread wide around my waist as I ground against her.

If this worked, then fucking this sex goddess was going to be the icing on the cake...


	37. Sanjuuroku: Burning With Desire

Hub Four was silent. It was fitting. It matched the silence of our four-day journey. We probably could have just made a teleport, but both of us were mentally and physically exhausted. Neither of us were in any hurry to get to wherever it was we were going next.

We had buried Duncan and every member of his clan a short distance from his castle before we left. We had barely taken the time to eat or rest. Chimitsu wanted me to rest. She wanted me to eat. She did not attempt to make me do either. I was glad. Caring for my own health was last on the list of things I felt necessary. Every step reminded me of the fact that the ground I walked on now held my closest friends in its embrace. Every breath hurt, knowing that they would never breathe again. Every fiber of my being ached with the knowledge that their deaths were my fault.

I did not cry. Not once would I cry in front of Chimitsu, even if I had wanted to. Her own tears had never stopped until we had left the castle. They had silently rolling down her pale cheeks the entire time. Forced to sleep by the lack of strength, I had heard her cry herself to sleep. I think I shed a tear. But I could not be sure. For all the sadness I knew I _should_ feel...all I felt was numbness.

Now we had arrived at the fourth largest city on the planet, hence its name, Hub Four. Central Hub, the city we had been forced to leave after our last encounter with my double, was the largest. After that, there were three other large cities besides Hub Four that I knew about, although I had not visited any of them.

Chimitsu looked to me as we entered the city limits. Her eyes were no longer bloodshot, but I could see the deep sadness in them. We both knew what was to come next, regardless of what had already passed.

We had to move on and continue the fight. Not because of any promise or will of our own, but because it was our duty. We neither one could afford to give up, not after coming this far. If we did, not only would our efforts have been for nothing, but all those children, the clan, the Triseraquins...all of them would have died in vain. That was a dishonor that would rest on my head.

"What do we do now?" I asked.

She shook her head slightly, looking around.

"I don't know," she admitted. "I'm quite sure there's a presence here but..." She sighed as she drew her eyes back to my own. "...Hub Four is a large city and they could be anywhere."

Her voice was so quiet, so gentle. And yet it did nothing to soothe the burn inside of me.

"We must find the next Elemental," I stated, eyes moving over my surroundings.

She hesitated for a moment.

"Jack..."

Slowly, I drew my gaze back to her and she forced a smile.

"Are you ok? Really? You..." She paused for a moment, hesitating. "You don't seem ready to fight."

I watched her, not speaking, then looked away.

"I have no choice," I answered quietly. "What other option is there? I cannot simply lay down and die."

"No," she agreed. "But perhaps...?" She sighed. "There is nothing wrong with mourning if..."

"Chimitsu, please," I interrupted her, realizing too late that I had cut her off. I was well aware of how rude that was, but it seemed my mouth had spoken before my brain had formed words. I looked to her, reading the lines of worry on her face. "Please. I am fine."

She studied me for a moment longer, and forced a smile.

"I suppose that is for you to decide," she relented.

The city seemed oddly quiet for as large as it was. We proceeded slowly, paying close attention to our surroundings. Although the endless lines of cars flying overhead had not stopped, there were few signs of distress, and nothing more than what would be expected of any city this size. There was no sign of any evil force here. There did not seem to be any signs of death or destruction or sickness or starvation. Everything looked...normal.

"This isn't right." I glanced to Chimitsu as she spoke. "This is..." She shook her head. "Something is very wrong here."

I glanced around again.

"Everything appears...normal."

Briefly, my mind flickered back over the works of the other Elementals, and I felt my stomach turn. There had never been any question that they had been at work in the cities they had overtaken.

I realized that Chimitsu was speaking and snapped out of my trance.

"I am sorry, Chimitsu, what did you say?"

She eyed me for a moment, another flicker of worry on her face, then she repeated herself.

"I said I'm sure a spell has been cast here. I can feel it." I glanced around for any signs of destruction. "I know my feeling's not wrong. I know they're here. But I don't...understand it."

Deeper into the heart of the city, we began passing bars and nightclubs, ignoring the threat of the bad neighborhood. Chimitsu and I were neither one afraid of the danger this area held. I kept my katana close at hand regardless, watching carefully for any sign of the last of the Dark Elementals. But there was nothing.

We slipped into one of the secluded alleys, out of view of any potential danger. I was confused. There was a spell here. Chimitsu could feel it. And yet, it had affected no one. I leaned back against the wall, eyes closed and head bowed as I watched Chimitsu pace a few times before settling.

"I don't understand it."

I found my eyes drifting as she continued, down from her face to her breasts and her perfect form, all the way down to her feet. What did she look like under that gown...? I realized where my thoughts were and immediately felt myself blush. I looked away quickly, and realized she was still speaking.

"...other side of the...Jack, are you all right?"

I glanced up at her, met her eyes, and immediately felt something stir inside of me. Had I never before realized just how beautiful those deep, emerald eyes were? She smiled and laughed slightly, and I shook my head, breaking out of the trance she had put me under.

"What?" I asked. "What is funny?"

"That look," she smiled.

"What look?"

"That look you just gave me," she replied. "I've never seen you look like that before."

She leaned back against the opposite wall, arms crossed loosely over her breasts. I caught myself staring again, but this time, I could not draw my eyes away. Her laugh had stirred something inside of me. Something that realized just how badly I needed her. There was a place inside of me that burned for comfort, burned for feeling. I was so numb, so cold, and in her eyes there was...life.

She smiled, watching me.

"Jack?" Her voice was so quiet. "What are you thinking?"

I shook my head as I looked away again.

"I was only..." I stopped myself. "Nothing. I apologize."

She stepped toward me, and I felt something inside of me tighten with excitement as I caught her scent, that sweet, calming fragrance that followed her around. I jumped as I felt her fingers on my forehead, brushing my hair back.

"You're sweating," she observed quietly.

"I know." I spoke before I considered it. But yes, I did know. I knew full well how quickly my blood was heating up. "I..."

"What's the matter?"

I reached up and took her hand, stopping the gentle fingers. My skin seemed to tingle where she had touched me. Slowly, I brought my eyes back to hers and realized just how close she was.

"I..." I struggled. "I have to.."

I took a half step toward her, pushing off from the wall, and kissed her hard. Her eyes opened in surprise, then slid closed again as I felt her fingers intertwine with my own. I could feel my heart beating faster, pounding against my rib cage as I lost myself in her kiss. The pain went away there, and I felt a fire running along my nerves like I had never experienced before.

Suddenly, everything that existed beyond her seemed so trivial. The mourning, the searching, the war...everything. I needed her. Badly.

She moaned softly, her other hand raising to stroke the side of my face and down along my neck as I kissed her deeply. For a moment, it was as if all else simply ceased to exist. No future, no Aku, no Dark Elementals, no war... I squeezed her hand gently and slid my other arm around her waist. I could feel the excitement settling in my groin as I massaged at the small of her back with my fingertips, then moved lower. My pulse was pounding, and I could feel my muscles tense up in anticipation as I held her close against me. Our tongues parried and wrestled with each other as her fingers moved up into my hair.

I suddenly realized then that I wanted her more than anything else at that moment. I wanted to lose myself with her, to feel the intense passion that I had never felt before I wanted to touch her everywhere, kiss her everywhere, to taste her skin and explore all of the hidden places of her body that I had not dared before to let myself imagine. I wanted- gods, I could feel my shaft hardening- to see her naked and spread out before me. I wanted to be inside of her body, gripped by the tight heat that matched the blazing fire in my veins. I wanted to feel her legs wrapped around me, to hear her scream. I wanted...so much more than I had ever had before.

We broke apart briefly to get some air, but I could not let her go for long. I pulled my hand from hers and held her hips, reaching around to cup her rear, trying to grind her against my hardening shaft. She smelled so sweet, felt so soft... My heart pounded wildly as I caressed her, dizzy with the heaviness of the desire I felt. I wanted a bed, but I knew I could not let her go for long enough to find one. No, I was going to make love to her right then and there.

Breathlessly, I broke away from the kiss, leaning down to kiss her neck and throat, my hands resting on her hips.

"Jack..." I barely heard her.

I could feel my fundoshi growing uncomfortably tight around my front as my lips worked over her. My hand rose up her side and cupped her breast, and suddenly she tensed up, pulling back.

"Jack, wait."

She sounded more insistent this time, and I let her go. I was still breathing heavy as I pressed back against the wall, dizzy with lust.

"What?" I managed between breaths. "What is it?"

I could still feel my pulse pounding.

"Jack, this isn't like you," she reminded me. "This _isn't_ you. It's _them_."

I closed my eyes hard and breathed a few times. I could still smell her, still taste her. My fingers itched to touch her. But I heard her words, and knew what she was saying. The knowledge that I was being controlled by the presence of the last Dark Elemental did not make that control over me any less. I groaned as I pressed my hands back against the wall, fingers scraping the rough surface as they curled inward.

"This spell...is powerful..." I hissed through gritted teeth.

"It is," she stated. "But it has not affected anyone here because it was meant only for you. And..." She hesitated. "I suppose for me as well."

"But it does not...affect you," I reminded her, eyes still shut hard.

"That would matter very little if..." She did not finish.

I opened my eyes to see her standing a safe distance away, and the desire ebbed slightly.

"We have to separate," I managed. "Please..."

The closer she was to me, the more difficult it became to think. Now that I saw her standing a few paces back, I was realizing what had happened, and could feel a blanket of embarrassment settling over me.

She nodded.

"Surely we'll do each other more harm if we stay here with this spell of lust hanging over us than could be done to us alone."

"I will meet you on the other side of the city," I said, relaxing my grip on the wall as I closed my eyes, blocking out the image of her. "If we find nothing then, we go in and try again."

"Be careful."

I watched through half-lidded eyes as she unfurled her wings, taking flight. Eyes sliding closed again, I leaned my head back on the brick wall. Somewhere deep inside of me, I could feel my twin's laughter, and I growled audibly as I opened my eyes and glared at the wall across from me. The laughter faded out, but I was sure it was by no threat of mine, only the ebb and fade of my consciousness to his emotions.

I stared for a long moment at the wall in front of me and breathed slowly, relaxing my muscles. The pressure between my legs was fading slowly, but a quick glance down told me that it was not fading fast enough. I groaned. Chimitsu had seen that. Humiliation over the way I had acted panged through me, but I choked it back. Chimitsu knew that it was a force beyond myself that had been acting. My only fault was the inability to fight it. But I had been unable to subdue the lust as I had been unable to ignore the hunger pangs that had nearly brought me to my knees in the presence of the Woolies.

The remembrance of the Dark Elementals I had already faced brought my thoughts back to reality. I straightened and breathed a few more times, then straightened my kimono. I checked instinctively to make sure my weapon was in place, then looked around me, reacquainting myself with my surroundings. After a moment of hesitation, I walked toward the street again. Now I knew what I was looking for, though I still did not have the slightest idea of where to find it.

Clever these Dark Elementals were. It was beginning to become quite clear that they were the embodiments of the darkside of humanity. They encompassed both the emotions and elements that drove people to despair. Death, Famine, Disease, War, Lust... The pieces were slowly falling into place.

I remained on high alert as I continued on my way. The streets were quiet, and gradually, it began to dawn on me that there was a reason for that. The spell had not only affected me; it had affected the entire city. Now, it was as if everyone had locked themselves in their homes. I could almost smell the sex in the air. I considered that for a moment, then put the thought aside. If they were in their homes, regardless of _what_ they were doing, they were much safer than any of the other victims of the Dark Elementals' spells.

Of course, there had to be people out on the streets. Not every person in the city could _possibly_ be with their significant other. It would not have been logical even if it could be assumed that every person in the city was romantically involved to begin with. It was simply a matter of time before I found those not locked up in their homes. I shifted uncomfortably again and unconsiously reached for my katana, making certain it was still at my side before continuing. I worried much more for the confrontation with the last Dark Elemental than I did for meeting the stragglers.

That was until I met them.

Rounding a corner, I suddenly found myself face to face with a very large group of women. My eyes widened to the size of saucers as every one of them turned, and I felt the gaze of two dozen women travel up and down my body. Suddenly, in spite of the fact that I was fully dressed, I felt remarkably naked. I took a step back, my hand instinctively resting on my weapon, although I knew I could not use it.

"Oooh, look what we have here, ladies." one of them said.

"Mm...a delicious pretty boy all by himself."

I swallowed hard, and felt a cold sweat forming on the back of my neck as they appraised me like a piece of meat laid out on the table for devouring. Even a few alien races were amongst them. It did not seem to make too much difference to them that I was a different species.

"What say you, ladies?"

"I say he's ripe for the ravishing."

My nerves stood on end in anticipation of a fight. Another voice in the crowd was in a language I did not understand. I did not have to have any comprehension of the language to know that it was probably quite obscene. My left hand tightened its grip on the handle of my katana. Muscles tensed as my fingers flexed, but I refused to draw it. I had sworn years ago to never raise my katana against two types of people: women and children. Children, I did not raise my hand to for any reason. Women, I only made the exception to if they had attacked me first and proven they could handle fighting me.

"Ladies..." My voice was entirely too high for my liking, and I cleared my throat as I pulled it back down to where it belonged. "There really is not any reason for this. I am merely passing through."

"Passing through? Why not stay awhile and have some fun with us."

I swallowed hard. How on Earth was I going to get myself out of this one? I was already scanning my surroundings, looking for the safest direction to run.

"Well, I would really rather not, if you do not mind."

That was not going to work. I was sure of that much before I even opened my mouth to speak.

"Oh, but we do mind."

"We've been waiting here for you for awhile now..."

"...and it won't do for our guest of honor to be leaving the party so soon."

There was no way I could fend them off without injuring them, and I was quite sure they intended to attack. I was certainly not going to draw my weapon on them. Even if they had not been women, they were surely innocents, under the influence of Aku's emissaries. They were just as powerless against the spell as I had been. And like me, I had a feeling that these women would all be thoroughly embarassed once the spell wore off, and they realized what they had been wanting to do.

The haze of lust began to fill my mind again, empty desire directed toward a few of the prettier women. I swallowed hard and tensed. I needed to turn away, and run like hell. And if I did not act now, I might not have a chance before they rushed me. If that happened, I could imagine what might happen. It was something I did not exactly want to think about. None of us could afford to succumb to such a twisted, devious spell.

I spun, but did not have a chance to take a step before I felt a hand latch onto first my right sleeve, then my left. My mind raced wildly. A growing part of me wanted to let them tear into me like a pack of hounds. I could feel my pulse race a little faster as that image flashed through my mind. What would two dozen women _do_ with one man exactly? But the instant I realized my thoughts, I forced them back. I needed to get _away_ from here.

I found the strength to break free, leaving both my sleeves behind along with the tie that bound my topknot in their hands. I made certain that my katana remained in my obi as I dashed down the street. Behind me, I could hear them giving chase, yelling at me as I ran as quickly as possible. Each step led me further and further into an unfamiliar city, and I had no possible way of knowing where Chimitsu-chan could have gone. Even if I had known where she should be, I certainly did not know how to get there. I was lost, and becoming more lost with every step. But I had no choice. I certainly could not stay put...

I tore down the streets blindly, twisting and turning down back alleys in hopes of throwing the pack behind me off. But they were much faster, and more persistant, than I could have accounted for. I did not have the time or the energy to run from them forever. Finally, it occured to me that I had one avenue they would not likely follow, and I lifted one of the manhole covers in the street, dropping down into the darkened tunnel. I heard their cries of protest as I ran through the darkness, but they did not follow.

I kept running, no longer for the sake of escape, but in the hopes that I could separate myself from the stench. Now, I needed to get back to the surface. After some time, I reached a ladder and climbed up, looking around. Empty. The streets were deserted here and I found myself back in the seedy area of the city where I had last parted company with Chimitsu-chan. I doubted that she would have gone far. I had to find her. I was no longer concerned about finding the last Dark Elemental. She was far more a threat to ME than she was to any of the inhabitants of this city.

I walked down the street with my left hand on my katana, alert to every sound and smell now. I could still feel the ebb and fade of desire as the pheromones high in the air. But the slight dizziness was not nearly enough to drive me to act on those emotions. I had been taught to be in complete control of my emotions at all times. Once again, I felt a hint of guilt and embarrassment at the way I had acted with Chimitsu earlier. I knew she would not hold it against me, but I very much held it to my own fault. I had not expected the spell, nor the intensity of it. I had been so busy looking for signs of destruction and death that we had not been paying attention to the lust that had slowly crept into my mind. Still, I should not have been caught so off guard.

With another sigh, I turned down another street, recognizing it as the one Chimitsu and I had been off of when we had parted company. I knew that I had said I would meet her on the other side of the city, but in no way did I desire to go back the way I had just come from. I knew what awaited me down that path and there was no use in reversing my steps back the way Chimitsu and I had entered the city. She would certainly not be that way.

I closed my eyes, trying to clear my head and think as to which way Chimitsu would have gone after taking flight. It was difficult to focus with the scent of pheramones and spell-induced lust clouding my mind. It took all of my training to force down emotions I had never felt before. It would not have been so unsettling had it not been induced by the spell in a very inappropriate situation.

My meditative focus was broken by the sound of footsteps hurrying my way and I tensed, reaching again for my weapon. They had not followed me through the sewers, but had they tracked me down again? My eyes scanned, and to my utter relief, I saw Chimitsu. I breathed out a sigh of relief, only moments before I came to realize the look of fury and hurt on her face. But she was walking fast, closing the gap between us before I had a chance to speak.

_SLAP_

I gasped and took a step back, blinking hard. It had not even occured to me to react until her hand had already lowered to her side again. It had stung, but I felt more shock than anything, wondering what I had done to drive her to do such a thing. My mind flickered to the events in this very alleyway less than an hour before, but she had not been angry over that when we had parted. My hand raised to my cheek as I stared at her, trying to figure out what I should think or say. Nothing seemed to fit with the angry, furious look on her face.

Finally, I regained my composure, recovering from the shock enough to realize that she was still standing there. She had not moved to walk away or attack again.

"Chimitsu-chan..." I struggled. "Wh-what on earth drove you to do such a thing?"

Her eyes turned ice cold, glaring at me.

"I should ask you the same thing."

I blinked, shaking my head slightly.

"What on earth are you talking about?"

She moved to strike me again, but I raised my arm to block it. I did not grab her wrist, only ducked away from her. Angry tears brimmed in her eyes.

"You and that cheap streetwalker in the alleyway," she hissed, holding her arm against mine. "Looks like you couldn't hold off your temptations for very long..."

I furrowed my brow, absolutely puzzled at her behavior towards me. I had not been in any alleyway with anyone, much less a woman for such a purpose. I had been running like _hell_ from a group of women bent on having their way with me.

"Chimitsu-chan!" It took me a moment to find words. "I have been with nobody!"

She growled, snapping her hand away from me.

"Don't give me that!" she yelled. "I saw you there with her, all over each other in that alleyway!"

"But I..."

"You've been using me!"

Her eyes were filled with tears, and I wished I had the faintest idea what for. Whatever she had seen, it had certainly not been me. And how could she say...? _Using_ her..?

"Why on earth would you think I was...?"

"You just want to use me to get to the Star and get yourself back home!"

My eyes widened at her accusation and I opened my mouth to reply, but she was not through.

"I've got news for you! You can complete this quest of yours on your own!"

"On my own!" I felt a wave of panic mingled with the absolute confusion, and I stared at her, wide-eyed. "Chimitsu-chan, you are making no sense! Listen to yourself! You sound like a woman scorned!"

"Perhaps I've been a woman scorned!" she yelled back. "You do what you've got to do as you wish!" Her voice lowered to a growl. "I hope she was damn good, Jack..."

"Chimitsu, I...!"

"I'm going to find Aku and take him down myself," she snapped back. "Elemental Law be damned!"

With a short burst of wind, she knocked me firmly onto my rump before taking flight, hurrying away into the sky before I could even think to take chase. For a long moment, I did not move, staring up in the sky in the direction she had gone. How on Earth could she accuse me of such a thing? I was utterly hurt and confused. It made absolutely no sense. How could she be so taken with jealousy before even knowing for certain that it had been _me_ she saw? It most certainly had _not_ been me!

I would never have done such a thing. Especially when she was the one I had wanted all along.


	38. Sanjuunana: To Tell The Truth

I knew that I would not be able to follow Chimitsu no matter how hard I might try. She had a head start, the ability to fly, and the Elemental ability to locate Aku's fortress. Even if she had no intention of killing him as she had threatened, I knew I would not be able to follow.

What little I knew of the location of Hub Four was enough to tell me that I would have quite a journey ahead of me before I made it back to any place I considered safe.Extor's seemed the logical haven, but it was quite a ways from where I was now. Chimitsu's ability to fly and her teleportation made it so easy to travel long distances in such a short span of time. But without it, it would take several days before I made my way back. I began walking.

It was not even a half day's journey out of the city when a merchant driving a truck full of melons offered to give me a ride. It did not seem to matter to him that I was the most wanted man on the planet, and once I passed through my suspicion, I found I was grateful. I remained quiet the entire ride, speaking only to thank him and give him what little directions I could.

Once he had gone on his way, I headed inside the compound in silence, virtually ignoring the warm welcome I received from all sides. My thoughts were preoccupied, confused. With every new blow to hit my emotions, I realized that I could not concentrate on more than one thing at a time. At some point, I knew the magnitude of everything I was not feeling would come crashing down on me. But for now, there was only confusion over Chimitsu, and the way she had reacted to me. Clearly, it had to do with the spell that had been cast over the city, but how she could accuse me of being in the arms of another woman, that I could not figure out.

"Where angel?" the wildman asked, catching me before I could retreat to seclusion.

I forced myself to not wince at the query. It stung me to think of her.

"Chimitsu has taken off on her own," I informed quietly. "To find Aku's fortress."

"What?" Extor seemed shocked by that. "She went off on her own, you say?" Extor asked.

"Yes," I nodded, my voice controlled. "Off on her own of her own free will."

"That's insane!" Rothie cried. "He'll kill her for sure!"

I froze. I had known that, of course, but to hear it spoken sent a chill down my spine.

"I could not stop her," I managed quietly. "I cannot follow her when she has taken flight and much less when she has the advantage of using her Elemental powers to find Aku."

There was a moment of silence as they exchanged glances.

"My dear boy, what on earth are we to do now?"

"We certainly can't hide here forever."

I turned to face them fully, keeping my face expressionless.

"We wait for her to return," I informed them. "She has shielded this place from Aku. Unless she..." I choked on the word. "...expires...we will remain hidden long enough for her to return."

They exchanged looks again.

"If you're quite certain..." Extor hesitated.

"I am," I answered, sounding much more certain than I felt. "Please, excuse me." I bowed to them as I backed away. "I need to rest for awhile."

Without another word, I headed down the hall to a room that had been set aside for me. I could hear the quiet, hushed voices behind me, clearly concerned. They were wondering what had separated me from Chimitsu. I was wondering the same thing. My heart ached at the thought that she hated me now for something I could not remember doing.

That lingering consideration finally broke the surface of my thoughts, and I felt bile creep up in the back of my throat. Had the spell controlled me so completely that I had not even been aware of what I was doing? But no, as I considered, I knew that it was impossible. The panic and fear of being caught by those lustful women had been real. I had felt it clearly even through the haze of lust that threatened my own thoughts and emotions. No, I had not been controlled, which could only mean that she had mistaken another man for myself. But how on earth could she...?

I froze, dead in my tracks, as I suddenly realized _exactly_ how she could mistake another man for me. There was, in fact, another man who looked just _like_ me. And that man would certainly be the type to engage in such behavior. She had seen my twin.

I should have felt relief, but I did not. As I set my katana aside, leaning it against the nightstand, I realized that although it had been an honest and very _convincing_ mistake...it did not make it hurt any less. It wounded me to think that Chimitsu would accuse me of such an infidelity. Had she not even thought to question the absurdity of it? Did she not know me well enough, even now, to realize that I would never do such a thing, spell or no? I sat down heavily on the bed, my head in my hands.

It was true that spell had brought out feelings I had denied, even to myself, for a very long time. But those feelings, while they had tainted my senses in the presence of women I did not know, were never so strong anywhere as they were with Chimitsu. Certainly there was no other woman that I would have even _considered_ acting with. But the lingering thought of having her in my arms, the way I had acted in her presence... I suppose I could understand why she had misjudged me.

I swallowed hard as I remembered the effects on my mind and my body. The way she felt and smelled. How it had felt to kiss her... A slight blush crept into my cheeks as I realized that those same reactions came at the mere thought of her. And for the first time, I accepted it. Now I had acted on my feelings, and I could no longer deny them. In fact, I realized it had been some time now that I harbored such feelings. Ever since the day she had come for me in Aku's castle after she had lost her wings, I had known that I harbored feelings for her that went beyond friendship. I had wanted from that day to touch her and kiss her in the very way that I now had. But I certainly had not wanted it to be so...wrong.

And it _was_ wrong. Under the influence of a spell intended for evil, I had nearly corrupted something that was intended to be very pure. I knew in my heart that I loved her. I also knew that I wanted to... I shifted a bit as images came unabidden to my mind, and force them back. Yes, I wanted to show her. But I certainly did not want to do it in a trash-strewn alley, motivated by a carnal, base drive that had been brought to the forefront of my mind. I loved her. She was beautiful, yes. But I would love her even if she were not. My love for her was in no way motivated by lust.

I loved her for her gentle kindness and compassion. For her ability to make me feel that perhaps everything really would be all right again someday. For her hope and support. For her strength, that even when I could not go on, she would stand by my side. But as much as it shamed me to think of it, I had been so afraid to admit what I felt. Fear. But for those fleeting kisses, she had treated me as kindly and simply as anyone else. And yet...should not those fleeting kisses been enough? Was I blind, for so long?

The spell had not affected her. I knew that. I also remembered, all too clearly, the way she had responded to my actions. She had _not_ pushed me away. She had _not_ rejected me. That she had withdrawn from my arms was a result only of where we were, and what we were facing. She knew it was not like me. But even so, she had not condemned me for the way I had touched her, the way I had kissed her. She had welcomed me in a way that I never would have suspected her to had I not been so glazed over by the effects of the spell.

I hung my head, knowing that I had failed in something so seemingly simple. For the sake of my pride and my fear, I had failed to say three simple words, to simply _tell_ her what I felt. Now it was possible that I may never have the chance to say them. Now it was possible that she would never return, and I would never see her again. I knew that without her, there was no possible way I could ever defeat Aku. But my loss felt so much greater than that.

How could she have not known? I asked myself that same question, over and over. Every time, it became more and more clear. How could _I_ have not known? If I was so blinded to her love and dedication, how could I ever expect that she would not be just as misguided?

"You look sad, samurai."

I jumped, startled, and my hand instantly shot to my weapon. But I did not lift it. Before I had the opportunity, my eyes came to rest on the intruder.

"Maeven! What are you doing here?"

A little blue faerie fluttered there before me. If I had not seen her there, I would never have recognized her voice. I had not heard the door open, but doubted she had even used the door in the first place.

"I saw that you were gathering people up for a rebellion against Aku in my water mirror," she informed me, her voice soft and melodic.

I blinked at that, confused.

"I thought you had lost your powers."

"I only lost the power to grant a single wish," she explained. "I didn't lose the rest of my powers."

I nodded, setting my hand in my lap again and leaving my katana where I had placed it.

"Where is the Lady?" Maeven questioned after a moment's pause. "I must speak with her on most urgent business."

"Chimitsu-chan?" I shook my head, a bit bewildered at her statement though I was quite sure that was who she was referring to. "How do you know of her?"

Maeven smiled faintly.

"All my people know about the Elementals. We don't make the knowledge common these days, but we do know of her." I watched as Maeven perched on the edge of the bedside table. "She was the one who visited the mortal realm the most out of all five of the Light Elementals."

I studied her for a moment, then looked away.

"I see."

"She loves humanity, Jack," Maeven went on softly. "That's why she sought you out to protect you on your quest."

I sighed and hung my head again, forcing back the bitter pain that seemed to come with that statement.

"I am sorry, Maeven, she is no longer here."

Maeven straightened, startled at that.

"No longer here?" She shook her head. "Where did she go?"

I sighed deeply, leaning forward and massaging my forehead with the tips of my fingers.

"From Hub Four she left to find Aku's fortress."

She was silent for a long moment, managing only a slight "oh" in answer. Finally, she fluttered up to sit on my shoulder.

"Is it because of what she saw there?"

My eyes slid closed as I sighed, realizing that it was possible for everyone in this compound to know what had transpired and to have their own ideas of how.

"Quite likely," I answered her softly.

"It was Mad Jack."

I nodded. I had known that, but it was good to hear it confirmed.

"Yet it changes nothing," I sighed.

"The woman he was with was another of the Dark Elementals, the one that rules over lust and jealousy."

"I assumed as much." I glanced at her. "From the very start, they were manipulating us, were they not?"

She nodded.

"They were."

I sighed as I looked away again, shaking my head.

"And I have no way to reach Chimitsu, to explain all of this."

For a moment, Maeven went quiet.

"With a little work, I'm quite sure I can find her." I glanced up, raising an eyebrow at her statement. "I didn't try before because I thought she'd be here with you."

"That is assuming she has not reached Aku yet," I answered her, feeling the tightness in my chest at the suggestion. "That he has not...killed her."

"He hasn't," Maeven assured me. "If he'd done so, I would have felt it." She was quiet, her eyes closed for a moment. She smiled as she opened them. "Come. I know where she's at."

I did not have much of a choice as to whether or not I wanted to come. By the time I had opened my mouth to answer her, the walls of my room had melted away. I found myself at the foothills of a mountain, Maeven still on my shoulder. Just ahead of us was the entrance of a cave, and my eyes immediately locked on the battle there. Chimitsu stood in the center of it, weapon drawn against more than a dozen of Aku's minions. Without thought, my own weapon was drawn, and I rushed into the fray with Maeven in flight behind me.

Chimitsu looked mildly surprised to see us, but did not stop to ask me what I was doing here so suddenly. At the moment, there were more pressing matters. But once all of the shadowed figures had either fallen or disappeared back into the cave, she sheathed her nodachi on her back and turned, immediately raising her hand to strike me again.

I closed my eyes, waiting for her palm to connect with my face again, only it never came. Opening my eyes, I saw Maeven fluttering there, struggling to push Chimitsu's hand away from my face. Chimitsu slowly allowed it, eyes still locked on mine. The hurt and anger was very visible in her blazing emerald eyes.

"My Lady, please! It wasn't his fault!" the faerie's melodic voice cried.

Chimitsu blinked, and lowered her hand as she stared for a moment at Maeven.

"Why do you say it isn't his fault, little one?" She raised her eyes back to mine and glared, eyes narrowed into slits. "I know what I saw in that alleyway."

"But it wasn't Jack!" Maeven protested on my behalf.

I did not speak, only watched Chimitsu, reading the pain in her eyes.

"I _know_ what I saw," she shot back.

"It was his double, my Lady! And the Dark Elemental." Chimitsu's eyes left mine to stare at Maeven in shock. "I saw them go into the alleyway with him dressed as Jack. They wanted you to see them so you'd become jealous and attack the real samurai. They wanted to tear the two of you apart!"

I could see the mix of emotions on her face as she comprehended this. This was very intense, but far too confused to understand. Maeven nodded as she read the shock and confusion.

"I would not lie to you, my Lady," she whispered reassuringly. "They didn't see me there or they likely would have killed me."

Very slowly, Chimitsu's eyes turned to me. No longer apprehensive, her look was one of guilt and embarrassment. She did not have to say a word. She had fallen right into their trap, played right along with their plans, and I knew she had to be feeling very foolish right now. I wanted to speak, to reassure her that it mattered very little to me now that she knew the truth. I was well aware of just how devious and tricky the Dark Elementals could be. But in the lingering silence that followed, I was not sure I should interrupt her thoughts.

Finally, she took a deep breath and looked to Maeven.

"Little one, would you mind excusing us for a moment?" Her eyes lowered to the ground. "I have some serious apologizing to do."

Maeven's head lowered as well. When she spoke again, her voice was so low, it was barely audible.

"Normally I would, my Lady, but that's not the only reason I sought you out."

I blinked, confused. Chimitsu's reaction mirrored mine, and both of us stared at Maeven.

"What?"

A long hesitation followed.

"I'm sorry...my Lady...but..." The words seemed very hard to form. I watched in dreadful expectation, without a clue as to what Maeven was going to say. "...the village you protect..."

The words struck a chord deep inside of me, and I choked back my own forming grief to look to Chimitsu. I could see the dread creep into her eyes and moved closer to her, ready to comfort her once whatever horrible news Maeven had to give was spoken.

"What. About. My village?" Chimitsu whispered, her voice choked and words clipped.

Maeven looked up, eyes filled with sadness as she continued quietly.

"It's been attacked, my Lady," The words hit dead on, and Chimitsu staggered a small step back, into me. "By the same man you saw in the alley and a number of those red and black minions."

I did not breathe. The eerie silence lingered for a long moment as the words settled deep inside of us. That all too familiar feeling of guilt and grief choked me, and I could not have said anything if I had wanted to. With Chimitsu having been gone for so many months, Aku had found her village and struck. All this time it had been unguarded, just ripe for Aku's pickings. How had we not thought to pay it heed?

"Oh my..." Chimitsu finally stammered. "My..? We...we have to go." It was spoken so weakly, it almost sounded like a question. But it filled her with determination that I could clearly see and she stood up straight. "We have to go _now_!"

Quickly, she wrapped her arms and wings around me, just barely giving Maeven time to get in the teleportation field before the energies swept us away. I ignored the dizziness I felt upon rematerializing, and my eyes scanned the village I had brought Chimitsu to when we first met.

It had been completely obliterated.

Buildings were gone, either completely flattened or in splinters with only the foundations remaining. Some of the other remaining structures had been burnt to the ground, others still aflame. Everything had been completely, utterly destroyed, leveled to the ground...and nothing moved save for the flames still flickering in a few of the buildings.

Bodies littered the plaza, some burnt beyond recognition. Others you could hardly tell were human remains. My breath caught, and for an instant, I was spared the smell of destruction. I felt as if my feet had grown into the earth right where I stood. I could not move.

Maeven buried herself in my hair and neck, hiding her eyes from the destruction and carnage that lay out before us. Chimitsu, on the other hand, stepped away. Managing a breath, I followed after her, remaining some distance behind as she walked through the destroyed village. I was not entirely sure it would be wise to approach her. It was one thing to see this sort of destruction at Central Hub- and that had been horrible enough- but to see the smoldering remains of the village she had come to protect, its citizens like her own children.

Almost every window of what few buildings remained standing had been shattered to pieces, the insides ransacked and tipped over, spilled about. One foundation in particular caught my eye, and I suddenly felt the air squeezed from my lungs.

_"Fear not, samurai, she will be fine."_

The memory hit me square in the chest, and I stepped away from Chimitsu to approach the smoldering remains of hte doctor's office and home. It had been burned so badly that we could not even tell if there had been bodies in there. Bodies. _Corpses_. No longer human beings...

_"You don't know our Chimitsu like we do. She's a survivor." _

_I hesitated, not knowing any of these people or even if they could help Chimitsu as they said they would. _

_"Are you certain you can mend those injuries?" _

_He turned toward a metal table strewn with instruments, chuckling softly as he began to carefully arrange them. _

_"She's in good hands and so are you. Rest, samurai, all will be well by morning." _

An aborted sob behind me cut through the eerie silence, and through my memories, jerking me back to the present. I turned just as Chimitsu slumped to her knees on what was left of the boardwalks that passed for a sidewalk. Her wings drooped over her shoulders, the sobs coming unbidden. For a long moment, I stared, watching as Maeven fluttered over to rest on her Lady's shoulder. I could feel that cold grip of death closing around my heart again, and without warning, my mind was assaulted with grief of my own loss. Not only here, but everywhere.

Father, Mother, my entire kingdom, Himoto, Chame, Asagi, Hirame, the children of Central Hub, members of the Tribe, the Woolies and Canines, the Triseraquins...Duncan...

I realized I had walked to where Chimitsu was kneeling, though I did not really remember moving. I knelt down and pulled her close, letting her sob into my chest, as I stared past her at the flames that licked along a gutted building.

"I'm sorry, my Lady." The words seemed to come from nowhere as I stared blankly at the death and destruction that had become a part of my life. "I didn't see what happened here, just passed by in time to see Jack's dark twin leaving."

Somewhere deep inside of me, hate sparked. Pure, unadulterated hate for my twin. But it was drowned by the grief and the overwhelming feeling of emptiness inside of me.

"I had been hurrying to find you after the incident in the alley that I knew I shouldn't try to stop him."

Even with my arms around Chimitsu, I felt as if I were dead.

"I doubt...any of us could have stopped this." Even hearing her voice, choked with tears and mourning, there was nothing but cold emptiness inside of me. A part of me wanted to speak, to comfort her. But there was nothing inside of myself from which to draw on. "By the goddess...all those lives, gone for no reason whatsoever but for MJ to cause us pain and suffering."

Us. Me. My eyes slid closed, a bitter, sad resolve washing over me. This had to stop. And it would not for as long as I was alive.

"We know about your sisters. I saw it in my water mirrors. Others saw it in the flames, heard it on the wind, in meditation... The moment Aku killed the first of your sisters, everything was set in its path, on its course. This was all meant to be, as unfortunate as it is."

I had spent all these years trying so hard to change what was meant to be. I had to destroy Aku, to avenge my parents and my people... Maybe even find a way back to my own time.

"And it is our duty to set it right, to make certain these souls did not die in vain. For my sisters, for the children, the tribe, everyone."

For so long, I had believed that I could do that. I had believed that if only I were strong enough, determined enough... If only I dedicated my life and every breath I took, then I could avenge them. Surely it was my duty, and the very reason for my existence.

"We will find a way to stop it."

But my existence meant so little in the larger scope of things. And in fact...it had only brought more destruction.

"Minamoto-chan, gather up some shovels. I will see what I can do about the few that are left here."

She was gone almost before I had realized she was speaking to me, and I stared after her blankly. A tiny faerie fluttered beside me, but did not speak.


	39. Sanjuuhachi: Profuse Apologies

It had been several days since we had returned to Extor's compound, Chimitsu-chan had not once emerged from her room. Maeven had appeared a few times, bringing her Lady food and drink, but she, too, remained hidden. If not in Chimitsu's room, then she was somewhere on her own. I had thought about visiting Chimitsu-chan, but thought better of it, knowing that she needed time to herself to mourn.

We had dug graves for the few bodies that still existed after the fires, and buried them in a nearby meadow. Out of the village of roughly three hundred, not even fifty bodies were returned to the earth. No words were spoken, except in a quiet eulogy given by Chimitsu in a language that was not quite Celtic, and not quite Germanic or French, but somewhere inbetween them all. It was a language that was hauntingly beautiful, even though I failed to understand it.

Those people had been her life, her responsibility, her charge. I knew it must be difficult to think that the one time she had been drawn away from them, they had perished. Granted, I doubted that they had died thinking she had forsaken them, but that mattered very little. The fact was, they had died. And she had been just as helpless, powerless, and responsible as I was for the lives that had perished throught the world

I spent a very long time staring at my katana throughout those few days. I spent an equal amount of time staring out the window at the world that seemed to have gone quiet, if only for a moment. It was only a false appearance, and I knew that. Somewhere in the world, more people were dying. Because of me. But I was too drained to fight the inevitable. In fact, I was too drained to move.

I spoke to no one throughout that week. On the rare occasion I did pass by Chimitsu's room, the only thing I could hear from within were quiet, soft sobs. I was comforted, at least, in knowing she still had the will to cry; I, myself, could feel nothing. My spirit broken, I wandered the halls, and returned to my room to stare awhile longer at my sword.

My twin would know, of course, if I perished. Perhaps it would be enough, and the destruction would stop. But if it were not... I dreaded to think what Aku would do with no one to stand and oppose him. At least, no one except Chimitsu.

But now her quiet crying, too, had stopped.

Maeven protected the door, stopping those who wished to check in on her. I did not try. I left my room only to get food- which I could never manage to eat- and then returned to my room to stare and to meditate. Not once did I feel anything from Mad Jack. Not once did the occupants of the castle bring news of the Dark Elementals. A part of me was relieved. A part of me wanted them to push me just one more time, to give me an excuse.

I stared again at my blade.

I wondered again, as I had several times, why I had simply not acted, why I _needed_ an excuse. The answer came in that truly, it _was_ an excuse. I could not in good conscience, leave Chimitsu to deal with these horrors alone. And there was no guarantee that they _would_ stop if I were gone. She would perish in her attempts, and I knew that. I could not sentence her to that unless I truly could go on no further.

My eyes fell to the floor as I dropped my head in my hands. My hair fell around me, shielding my face, and I did nothing to push it back. I did not have the will to put it up as it belonged, and I did not have the intention of leaving this room anytime soon. My appearance as a whole meant very little to me at this moment.

My mind wandered, and I sighed heavily, eyes sliding closed. Aku had declared war in no uncertain terms. And yet, I could not bring myself to rally forces against him. Nor could I bring myself to even think of what finding his fortress might entail. Even a week of silence and stillness had done nothing to heal these wounds inside of me. They still felt as if they were gaping, bleeding. Yet I knew I was the only one who would be able to lead such a revolt against Aku and his forces, and that responsibility rested heavily on my shoulders in spite of my pain.

Slowly, the door to my room creaked open, yet I did not look up. I was too deep in scattered thoughts to look up if I had wanted to. On occasion, Rothie or one of the others had been in to check in on me, but if I did not look up, they let me be. I assumed it would be that way again. This time, however, the shaft of light from the hallway remained. In the light at my feet, I saw a shadow, and the owner did not move or close the door.

I sighed again, quietly, and my eyes slid closed.

"Please leave me be," I murmured.

The request went unabidden. A few moments later, the door closed, but the intruder had not left. I sighed at the silence that followed, but did not look up. Eye contact would only encourage them to stay, and I truly did want to be left alone. Instead, I ignored the intrusion, breathing slowly as I opened my eyes to stare at the floor beneath my feet.

The bed shifted beside me and I tensed, looking up in surprise. I blinked as I saw that the intruder was Chimitsu, and I was instantly glad she had not heeded my request to leave.

"Chimitsu-chan..." I was not sure what to say other than her name.

Her pale cheeks were no longer red and streaked from crying and her emerald eyes were no longer bloodshot. She did not smile, but she did not look as sad and sorrowful as she had. Still, she seemed older somehow, tired.

A faint smile crossed her lips as she reached over, brushing a few strands of hair from my face with her delicate fingers.

"Hello, Minamoto-chan." she whispered back.

"How are you feeling?"

It seemed like a foolish thing to ask, but I did not know what else to say. Her fingertips lightly brushed the side of my face as she tucked my hair behind my ear.

"A little better, but not quite well."

I nodded a little and looked away as her hands returned to her lap. A wave of guilt and shame washed over me, to see and feel her so close and reconsider the things I had been so recently thinking. No, I could not leave her alone here. Such an act would be cowardice, and I knew it.

"It is good to see you out of your room," I murmured softly. "It has been rather lonely out here without you."

As soon as the words had left my mouth, I regretted them. She had been in deep mourning, and the first statement of purpose that escaped my mouth was one of selfishness. I sighed as I looked away, knowing that I could not take it back.

"Actually, Minamoto-chan..." she hesitated. "...that's why I came out to see you."

I glanced back at her, mildly confused.

"What do you mean?"

Another slight, sad smile crossed her face

"I missed you," she admitted. "It took me awhile to realize how lonely it was in that room, and how dangerous it is to mourn in solitude."

I stared at her for a long moment, then looked away again. For a long moment, neither of us spoke. Then I felt her fingers in my hair again, brushing it back from where it had fallen.

"I've never seen you with your hair down," she murmured.

"I am sorry," I apologized. "I was not expecting you."

"It's all right. I don't mind it." Another long silence, and she sighed. "Jack...are you okay?"

I nodded.

"I am fine."

She hesitated for a moment.

"Are you lying to me?"

Yes. I was. But I would not speak it. Instead, I stared down at the floor in silence. Her fingers trailed to my shoulder, and down my arm lightly before resting in her lap.

"I'm glad to see that you're all right," she whispered.

"You have more important things to worry about than me," I answered her.

"No," she protested quietly.

"I am sorry I did not seek you out earlier," I stated, desperate for a change of subject. I certainly did not want to talk about myself. "I saw you turning away the others and thought that you would turn me away, too. Otherwise, I would have come to make sure you were well, all things considered."

She reached over, gently taking my hand in hers.

"Perhaps I would have," she admitted. "But I don't think so." She sighed deeply. "I didn't want to explain to the others, but I can't imagine that there would be anyone on the planet more acquainted with how I was feeling than you."

I did not answer, and she sighed, still holding my hand lightly in hers. After a moment, she pulled her hand away.

"In all honesty," she whispered. "I assumed you were angry with me for my treatment of you and didn't want to see me."

I shook my head.

"No."

It seemed that I should offer her more of a response, but I did not entirely know what to say. My thoughts were scattered and sad, even in her presence, and the anger and jealousy she had shown were the last of those things on my mind.

There was a moment of silence before she moved up behind me on her knees on the bed, wrapping her arms and wings around me. My eyes slid closed at the sudden, unexpected warmth of her embrace and a slight shudder ran through me. I had not felt so protected since I was a young child, still small enough to be held in my mother's arms. For all the years since then, the warmth and comfort of a woman had been forgotten. She rested her chin on the top of my head, holding me tight. Eyes shut, I allowed her to wrap herself around me, and remained still in her embrace.

"I want to apologize..." she whispered. "For being so foolish and jealous." she said softly.

"There is no need for it, Chimitsu-chan," I sighed. "It was not your fault. We both know how clever Mad Jack can be."

"Yes, but there's no excuse for falling for the same trick twice."

"Twice?"

I was confused. I knew of the incident with the Dark Elemental, but I did not know that there had been another time.

"Before you came to get me that first time in Aku's dungeons," she breathed. "After leaving the Highlands?" She nuzzled against me a bit, her cheek against the top of my head. "He dressed himself as you, pretended to be you, just to trick and torment me."

I considered that for a moment, then reached up to run my hands along her forearms.

"I do not think it was your fault," I assured her. "And even if it were, I would forgive you just the same."

She sighed softly, rocking slightly back and forth with me in her arms.

"I didn't want to think that it was you," she whispered. "It hurt to think that you would...under _any_ circumstances...that you would have some random woman up against the wall."

I sighed, shaking my head.

"Chimitsu-chan, I would never, ever, do such a dishonorable thing."

"I know," she answered, hugging me tighter. "But at the time..." She sighed. "I suppose I was already confused. And seeing it right before my eyes, I didn't even think."

"Confused?" I asked quietly.

She was silent for a long moment, then she kissed the top of my head.

"For a very long time, Minamoto-chan, I've waited. And..." She hesitated again. "...considered. And in a way...been _afraid_ of what I found myself feeling for you."

I could sense her uneasiness, and ran my hands lightly up and down her forearms, as comfortingly as I could manage without pulling away from her warmth.

"And when you kissed me..."

She was quiet for another long moment, then sighed deeply.

"It hurt so badly to think that it was only a result of the spell. And so I thought that surely you would not have done it if _only_ for the spell, and not for what you felt already. But when I saw you- when I _thought_ I saw you- with another woman...and I realized how powerful the spell was and that it had meant absolutely nothing to you..."

"But it was not me," I corrected quietly.

She was quiet for a moment, and I heard her sniffle.

"No," she finally managed in a choked whisper. "It was not you."

I considered that for a few minutes, rocking with her gently as I felt her start to relax again. I was not sure how much I wanted to say, if in fact I wanted to say anything. But at the same time, I knew that I would be foolish to let this moment pass. How badly had it hurt me to realize that I had not told her that I loved her the last time I had the opportunity? To hear her words now, a blatant invitation to speak what I had been hiding for so long, it burned somewhere deep inside of me.

My silence thus far had been inexcusable. And when I had thought I had lost her, it had been even moreso. I cursed my blindness, my inability to see all of the times I should have spoken to her, should have told her the truth. But we had both been silent, both too damned afraid to speak. And in the end, it had hurt us both more than I could bear to think.

"It was not only a result of the spell," I finally whispered. "Your assumption was correct in that it did not force me to do anything that I would not have otherwise done in a more...appropriate atmosphere. And as that was the case, I would never have been with any woman besides you. Especially not in an alley somewhere."

She sighed.

"I wish I had not been so blind."

"It is all right," I assured her quietly. "The truth has been revealed and no permanent damage has been done."

She sighed again and slowly released me, her hands sliding up my chest, over my shoulders and down to my shoulderblades, massaging firmly. I slowly allowed my eyes to slip closed and relaxed into it, finding her touch to be incredibly soothing. Only then did I realize just how tense I had been these past few days.

"Have there been any more reports on the Dark Elementals?" she asked.

I felt a chill run through my soul at the very mention of them.

"No," I answered quietly. "The wars and destruction still persist- people are still dying every day by the thousands, and because of me- but there have been no further calling cards for the two of us."

She went silent for a long moment, rubbing at my shoulders.

"How many have we gathered for the rebellion?" she finally asked.

"I do not know," I replied. "I have not left this room except when absolutely necessary. I know Rothie and the Woolies have been doing their best to seek out other groups of resistance and bring them here, but I do not know how many."

"And the tribe?"

I recounted the facts with a growing sense of detachment.

"We only lost three to Ekirei's diseases," I stated. "Extor was able to save the rest of them and has immunized everyone, including myself, against everything of the sort known to man."

She chuckled quietly.

"You actually let him stick you with the needle?"

"I did not exactly have a choice," I said emotionlessly. "I had been around the tribe, around Ekirei, and am only immune to her blue orbs. I am sure the medicine you gave me in the jungle did not make me immune, though it did protect me until we returned."

"I see," she replied. "We'll have to go see about business soon, before more lives are lost or destroyed by the Dark Elementals."

"At this point, Chimitsu-chan, I am not sure that I care."

The words escaped my mouth before I could stop them, or even realize what I was saying, and my own eyes grew wide as I felt her hands come to a dead stop on my shoulders.

"What?" she whispered, shocked.

I bowed my head low, leaning forward and pulling away from her.

"I am sorry," I apologized. "I did not mean to say that."

I could feel her staring at me. I could feel the shock radiating from her even though I had recovered from it myself. Strangely enough, I was not surprised that I felt that way, only that I had given voice to it. Such things were never meant to be spoken.

For a long moment, it was silent. I felt her back away, but she continued to watch me.

"How could you say a thing like that?"

Her voice was not accusative. Instead, it held a definite air of sadness and hurt. I glanced at her, and saw those same emotions written on her face.

"I did not mean it," I lied.

It was true that I did not _want_ to mean it, that everything inside of me screamed protests at the dishonor that came with such a statement. But I realized too, that it had come from somewhere deep inside of me, and passed through my lips in a time that I had not been able to stop it.

"Jack..."

Her eyes reflected deep sadness, tears glistening, and for a moment I wondered if she felt the same thing deep inside of her. She clenched her jaw and looked away, her fists balling at her sides.

"How dare you."

But although I heard the anger, it was surely not the venom that would come of true and deep anger.

"I said I was sorry," I murmured, looking back towards the floor. "And I meant it."

"How dare you even _think_ such a thing!" I glanced back up at her as she slid off the side of the bed and stood. I expected her to leave, but she did not. "Jack, we _need_ you! _they_ need you!"

"No!" Once again, I was speaking without first filtering my words through rationality. "They never needed me, Chimitsu! All I have done since I came here to this time was to make Aku's anger boil hotter, until it spills over and consumes any and every person I have ever cared about!"

"That's not true..." Her voice was weak, lower lip quivering, and I realized that she knew how full well it _was_ true.

"He has murdered my friends, slaughtered innocent men, women, and children and for _what_!"

I realized that I was yelling at her, and I tried to stop it. She was _not_ the target of my anger; I was. Moreover, I knew she was already hurting, and I was only making things worse. But I could not silence myself. Emotions that had been so cold and dead inside of me were suddenly breaking the surface, and I could not control them.

"I have lived my life for them, Chimitsu! For them and every other innocent life Aku has stolen away. And as I stand on their graves and commend their heroism, I realize that they would still be _living_ if it were not for his wrath toward me!"

"No!"

"Yes, Chimitsu! Yes!"

She shook her head and looked away, tears streaming from her eyes again.

"Damn it, do you not understand!"

Something inside of me broke. It came toppling down in one fell swoop and tears burned at my eyes as I struggled for a moment to breathe.

"I am nothing," I choked, my voice as weak and crushed as what was inside of me now. I fell, dropping to my knees and wishing I could sink down further, that I could even cease to be. "I am nothing but a false sense of hope for them. And one that will render them all dead."

The tears overflowed, and I felt them stream down my face as I cried for the first time. All of the pain that I had not yet felt through the cold numbness came crashing down on me all at once, and I was crushed under its weight. I did not even try to hold it up. I did not have the strength.

"It would have been better for them," I choked. "If I had never been born."

I did not feel Chimitsu approach, but I knew that she was kneeling beside me even before I felt her fingers under my chin. I did not resist her, and found myself staring into her tear-filled eyes. But through her tears, I could see fire and determination. She did not feel this weight that rested on me. She _could_ not feel it. She could never know what it was like.

The city she had protected had died in her name. But she could not have helped that. I could have. I could have stopped this long ago. I had not, going on instead in the hopes that I would somehow, someday, do the impossible. That I would make a difference in a world that was so much larger than myself. I had been so foolish, and so selfish, and so many people had died in my stead.

I felt her lips pressed against mine, hard, and her fingers slid back into my hair, holding me to her. For a long moment, she held me like that, held me still, forced me to calm. But the thoughts did not stop. The pain did not cease. The moment she pulled away, it all came rushing back to me.

"I hate this place," I choked, unable to filter my words once again. In this time, I was so grateful that she was the only one present. I would not have been able to control this even in the presence of others, whom I was sure would be far less understanding. "I hate what I have made of it."

"You have done...what you were created to do," she whispered. "And Aku has done what he was created to do. You cannot change that."

"Yes," I stated. "I can."

"Jack..."

I clenched my teeth hard as I pulled away from her, standing up.

"It is because of me that they are dead, Chimitsu. Do you not understand that?"

"If not for you, it would have been someone else," she replied.

"Well, let it be someone else now," I stated, walking to the window and looking out. "I think I have done more than enough damage for one lifetime."

I realized that my hand was resting on the hilt of my katana, but I knew, too, that I would do nothing in her presence. My resolve was not made in anger or desperation. It was a simple knowledge of what needed to be done. Let another rise up in my place. At least there would be a few years of peace before then.

I could feel her behind me, standing still and determined. I could tell that much without even looking at her.

"I wish you could hear how foolish you sound, Jack."

My eyes narrowed, my grip tightening.

"Is it more foolish to realize your own unimportance than it is to condemn multitudes to death?"

"You've not condemned them," she answered firmly.

"Then why are they all dead?" I replied coldly.

"What stand they've chosen to make has been their own."

"Even your village, Chimitsu?" I snapped.

_Damn_ it! Why could I not _control_ my words!

She was silent for a long moment. When she spoke again, her voice was low and cold.

"What do you want me to say, Jack?" she asked. "Do you want me to condemn you, as you've condemned yourself? Because I won't. And you are being extremely foolish and _cowardly_ to even _consider_ running away from this!"

I spun, my weapon drawn instantly and held horizontally in front of me, blade pointed inward. Her words had slapped me hard, and she was pushing me to the limit.

"So be it, then," I growled back at her.

She did not move to stop me. Nor did she show any hint of alarm. She watched my eyes calmly, arms loosely at her sides as she studied me, and finally spoke, her voice equally as calm.

"Don't."


	40. Sanjuukyuu: Gathering

"Don't."

It was not an order. Perhaps a plea. But her face held no hint of sorrow at the decision that she knew was mine alone to make. I knew that she would not try to stop me, and I knew that regardless of cowardice and honor and pain... it would be over. For me, and for those who would die because of me. Those who were already dead... they would just have to forgive me. But I doubted I could avenge them even if I tried. Right now, I did not have the strength to try.

For a long moment, we stood staring at each other. My hand remained steady, muscles tensed. One cut, pain and death that I was not the least bit afraid of, and it would be over. She would not turn away; I knew that. But I could easily close my eyes and I would not have to see her face. And I would not have to see one more drop of innocent blood spilled for my sake. My enemies would know the instant that I died, and they would know they had won. They could stop trying to prove it then. At the moment, I cared very little for the thought that I would die in defeat.

_"Do it..."_

The whisper was so quiet, so subtle in my mind, it might not have even been there. But I knew better. I knew exactly what and WHO it was.

I growled at the intrusion, but held back the instinctive urge to force him out. For once, I did not mind his presence. For once, I actually WANTED him here. For once, I was grateful for the connection that bound us together and instead of blocking off my end, I opened it, welcoming the intrusion. He would sense the moment I followed through with my intentions, so it made little difference whether or not he actually watched. His presence in my mind would do nothing but give me a moment to say all I had wanted to say to him for years before this was over.

_"Do you feel that?"_ I growled back at him, not flinching at the pain.

There was a pause, but I knew damn well he felt it.

_"Of course I feel it!"_

He sounded much like an excited child, awaiting a long hoped-for present. Strangely, I knew that it was not far from the truth.

_"Does it feel good?"_ I taunted him. I could only imagine how good it really _did_ feel to a man who lived his very life for death. _"Everything you have ever wanted to feel from me, just seconds away..."_

He did not answer. I could feel his impatience. It made my own fingers itch with anticipation, my own breathing grow more shallow. He had waited so long for this, and I wanted to hold him here until I was well enough ready to move. For once, I could feel the power I had over him. I held him right in the palm of my hand. All he ever wanted, I was dangling in front of him, just out of reach until I _chose_ to give it to him.

_"All it will take is just a bit more pressure and you will be rid of me, as you have always wanted."_

He hesitated. I could sense his careful planning of his words. I did not mind it; I was planning my own. Everything I had ever held back from him, ever wanted to say, I was going to say right here, right now. So he would know before I left this world.

_"So do it already..."_

I laughed at him. _"Impatient?"_ I smirked. _"I hand you my very life and you cannot even spare me a few minutes?"_

He did not like that I was taunting him. I could feel a flicker of anger come through the link between us.

_You_ hand _me your life?"_ He chuckled at that. _"You might die by your own hand, ahondara1, but it is our accomplishment in the end."_

_"Do not lie to yourself, futago,"_ I warned. _"If I was not willing to do this of my own accord and for my own honor, you could not force my hand."_

He laughed. _"Who is the one lying to himself, baka?"_ he challenged. _"Or would you end your life if not for all the noble thoughts of saving innocent lives?"_

I could hear the contempt in his voice, and growled in reply, hand clenching tighter around my weapon.

_"You know, Jack, I always wondered how long it would take before you finally crumbled," he sneered. "And now that I know, I'm rather disappointed."_

_"My decision is not an act of weakness!"_ I shot back. _"You have not broken me. This I do for the sake of innocent men, women, and children. If you were not such a coward as to use them as weapons and simply face me_ yourself, _I should be more than happy to continue on, and face you any time and place you intend to meet."_

He was silent. Suddenly, a new feeling was stirring in him: nervousness. My words had struck a chord, and I paused for a moment to evaluate them. Suddenly, it was as if I had opened my eyes to see the world spread out before me. I _did_ hold him in the palm of my hand, and in more than this moment. Suddenly, I realized why he had made the effort to link with me now, to encourage me. If I did not take my life now...he might never defeat me. He _knew_ that.

He had done his worst. All of them had. They had done it to bring me to this place, this point where the grief was too great. They would not stop, even after I was long gone. They would go on killing and destroying, even if for no good reason.

_"Go ahead, futago..."_ His voice was weaker now, but he was trying hard to hide it. _"Go ahead and do it. Unless, of course you're afraid..."_

It was a desperate attempt. He knew I was not afraid. I did not feel the slightest hint of fear at the prospect of death. I did not need to prove it to him. Suddenly, I realized that I was in complete control of him. This battle was over. Aku's attacks had failed. And I had won.

With that thought in mind, I moved. Chimitsu flinched just slightly as I drew my hand back and threw the sword hard into the wall. There it embedded, and I glared at it as if I could convey my hatred for my enemy through my angry expression toward it.

_"Fuck you, futago."_ I shot. _"And you had better prepare yourself. Because next time, it will be_ your _blood on the blade!"_

A long silence followed. I waited, expecting him to shoot something back at me. But he was deathly silent, and I was glad. I lowered my hand to my side again, and for the first time, I realized what I had very nearly done. My fists clenched, head bowing until my chin rested on my chest. Cowardly. That it was.

There was a long silence, then I felt Chimitsu's hand on my shoulder. I turned to look at her, she was completely calm. And at the same time, the relief in her eyes proved that she had known full well how close I had come.

"Let's get something to eat, Minamoto-chan," she whispered, running her fingers along the thin sheen of sweat that had come across my forehead. "We need to regroup and think this through."

I sighed and turned away from her, walking the few steps to the bed and sitting down on the edge of it again. There was a part of me that had been trained to fight, to kill if necessary, and yet, I was so very tired of it, and of everything that had become my day to day life here.

"You look so weary," she whispered as she sat down beside me, curling her legs underneath her.

"All I ever wanted was to go back home," I whispered. "To see my mother and father again, my life to return to how it once was."

"You know it can't ever go back to how it was," she whispered, brushing my hair aside. "Even if you do destroy Aku and return home, it will not be the same. _You_ will not be the same."

"I know," I admitted. "But this war did not have to happen, either. It exists only because of Aku's thirst for evil and destruction, especially if it is mine."

"Mine as well," she reminded me. "So many lives destroyed or ended without any reason aside from Aku's crazed lust for chaos. So much has been thrown off course that I don't know if we'll ever be able to restore it."

"And yet I know that I will not return home until everything here has been restored to its proper place. I could not stand to leave this place in such a shambles because of me."

She moved behind me again and ran her hands up my back to my shoulders. I suddenly realized that we had returned to the same position we had started in. But now, I felt so much different.

"Minamoto-chan, don't make promises you might not be able to keep," she sighed. "We don't know how much damage Aku has made to the course of things now. Not just to the Elemental Circle and time, but to everything. Perhaps this was all destiny, meant to be."

"What do you mean?" I asked as she began to massage gently.

"The end of time," she explained softly. "Perhaps Aku's conquest of the Elemental Circle, of Time, was all meant to bring about the end. If that's true, then we won't be able to stop or repair what he has begun."

I considered that for a moment, and frowned.

"I do not believe that this is what this war is about," I said firmly. "Perhaps it was destiny for it to happen, but I do not believe that it is signaling the end of the world. Aku does not have such power, only wishes he did. You said yourself that he could not conquer the Light Elemental herself, that it was completely forbidden."

"Under usual circumstances, yes, but he's already proved that he can break Elemental Law. Look at how many times he's done it." I closed my eyes as her hands pressed even more firmly, working out the kinks that had formed in my shoulders all over again. "He has killed my sisters, sent you through time to this hellish future, created the Dark Elementals and unleashed them on humanity, things that were never, ever supposed to happen until the end of time."

She leaned down and kissed the top of my head, wrapping her arms around me again.

"We haven't even seen the Light Elemental, Jack. How are we to know that she even exists still? How do we know that he hasn't found a way to overpower her?"

"How do we find out?" I questioned. "How do we know?"

She was quiet for a moment.

"We could try summoning her," she finally suggested, her voice unsure. "But it's a dangerous journey to Asagi's castle and I don't know what sort of state it's in right now, if it's even intact."

"It should be," I sighed. "From what Asagi showed me while I was in my coma, he left after seeing her destruction. He was too bent on finding the Star of the Elements before you gave it to me to destroy her palace. The Altar of Infinity is still intact."

"Well, then we can _try_ using the Star to summon Light, if only to see what she says about all this. But I'm not going to make any guarantees."

I looked up, over my shoulder, and offered a faint, sympathetic smile.

"You do not have to, Chimitsu-chan. All we can do is go and try."

"Yes," she agreed. "But not now." She lightly stroked the side of my face. "I don't think either of us has healed enough to make such a difficult journey."

I sighed as I looked away.

"We will have to recover soon," I reminded her. "We do not have much time. Each day, more people are dying."

"I know," she whispered. "But the army is gathering."

"Rothie and the others cannot possibly do all this on their own," I sighed. "None of them have the power to destroy Aku once and for all."

"Of course not," she replied, massaging my shoulders once again. "That power rests within your blade. The one that you alone can use."

My eyes flickered to the katana embedded in the wall.

"They would not have a chance without that sword."

"Without _you_," she corrected.

I sighed deeply, eyes sliding closed as my head dropped forward.

"Without me," I agreed, my voice a quiet whisper.

"But I think they'll be able to hang on for a day or two more until we have pulled ourselves together." I did not speak, and she moved her hands back to my shoulders. "You _need_ time to recover, Jack. You cannot deny that."

I could not, and I did not try. I only hung my head and tried hard to calm the confusion inside of me.

"How many more must die because of me, Chimitsu-chan?" I asked softly.

She wrapped herself around me in an instant, hugging me tightly in the shelter of her wings.

"Don't say that, Minamoto-chan," she whispered into my hair. "Do not even think such things."

"It is true, is it not?" I asked quietly, my voice calm. "All these people have died because Aku has pulled them into his vengeance on me." I tilted my head to look up at her. "If he was not so hellbent on seeing me destroyed, all of them would be alive right now."

Her eyes were filled with compassion and care.

"Yes, but they wouldn't have the hope that you bring them." I sighed and looked away. "Jack, they may have died prematurely, but they were HAPPY. They were happy in a way that they never would have been if not for you. They died with hope in their hearts because they knew that you were still alive and as long as you were alive, you'd be able to destroy Aku. You're the only one who can _do_ it, Jack. And their lives would be full of despair and hopelessness if you hadn't showed up to give them hope."

I let her words settle inside of me. I had not thought of it that way. This whole ordeal felt like one giant failure to me.

"Chimitsu-chan, I know these people believe in me, that they feel hope when they see me, but it is too much for me to think that they are dying in my name for something I am not sure I can even _do_."

She pulled away and sat next to me on the bed, watching me. I sighed softly and slowly raised my head to look at her, seeing an expression I was not certain I could read on her face.

"Their blood is on my hands, Chimitsu. I do not want anyone else to die like that, for the hope that I cannot expect to fulfill."

"But you _will_ fulfill it, Jack," she whispered. "And until then, you cannot stop them from believing in you. It is the one thing they have to live _for_."

I gave another soft sigh and leaned forward with my elbows on my knees, contemplating her words. I had trained for twenty years for this moment, to fight this battle with or without help. But now that the time had come, a part of me was suddenly afraid. I was not at all certain I even wanted to do this.

I knew I would see more of my friends and other innocents die if I continued with this war. I knew I did not want to see it happen. I did not want to feel the pain of more loss and suffering. But even so, I knew this was my place. I had to do it. Nobody else could.

Finally, I lifted my head and rose, walking over to the wall and tugging my katana from it. I slid it back into its scabbard at my hip, ignoring the deep gash the blade had left in the wall and the lesser one on my side, bleeding through my clothing.

"We should head downstairs, Chimitsu-chan," I requested. "I want to see how many we have gathered already."

She nodded and rose, reaching out to slip her hand in mine before I opened the door and led her out into the hall. I took in a deep breath and let it out slowly as the door clicked shut behind us.

We headed down the stairs and to the briefing room, where Rothie and a few of the others were gathered around a table, looking over a scattering of papers.

"...and we're still getting reports of people coming in from the northern regions yet..."

A set of eyes rose to mine, and I was greeted with a smile. I nodded back, and he gently nudged Rothie, who turned around and smiled at the sight of us. I let go of Chimitsu's hand and walked the rest of the way over, glancing at the papers.

"It's so good to see you out and about, my dear boy. We were starting to get worried."

I let go of Chimitsu's hand and walked the rest of the way over, glancing at the papers.

"Thank you," I nodded, looking up and offering a smile.

A part of me was glad to know that they had been thinking and worrying about me.

"Are you both quite all right?"

"Yes," I assured him. "Actually, Chimitsu-chan told me that you were gathering up resistance forces for our upcoming battle..."

"That we have," he affirmed. "We're still getting reports of groups coming in to join us from here and there, and other cells whom we're just now contacting."

I turned back to the papers scattered about on the table, looking them over carefully. The reports concerned me, knowing that the few they reported to be here already were in no way enough for us to defeat Aku. If we went out there with so few, I was certain we would be massacred within a few hours.

"Exactly how many do we have here right now?" I asked.

Rothie looked over another paper: some sort of registration or squad detail, I could not quite tell which.

"As of right now, perhaps two or three hundred." He glanced up at me and forced a smile. "But we're still getting people in, so it could well be several thousand by the time we finish gathering everyone up." He set the papers down and glanced briefly around the group. "The reports are so scattered, it's really quite hard to tell how many we'll have total."

I gave a small, frustrated sigh as I glanced over the papers again. It was by no means good, but I would simply have to hope we would have enough when everyone had gathered. If not, then we would have to make use of what we did have and hope that we succeeded in the end.

I set the papers back down, noting a map beneath them where they had circled areas of resistance hiding around the globe. I swallowed hard as I saw just howw few of those cells there were. Aku had made certain to wipe out any obvious opposition, reducing everyone else to hiding in small areas. They were small enough that they would be unable to really pull together for an effective strike. At least, until now.

I turned back to Rothie, leaving the papers behind on the table. I would not think of how few we had. I could not allow myself to think of that or I would fall to pieces with the fear that we would fail. Failure meant certain death, not only for me but for all of us. I could not let them know just how concerned I was about that, about _their_ lives. If I was afraid, then they would lose their nerve altogether. And this had to be done.

"I want to speak to them," I demanded. "I know it is not everybody, but I want to speak to those we have here already. I want to see what kind of fighters we can expect to have on our side."

After a moment's hesitation, they began to nod in agreement. I knew that I would speak to everyone when we had fully organized, but I wanted a preliminary check, if for no other reason other than to boost my own confidence.

"All right, Jack. There's not very many right now, but we'll take you to them."

Rothie and two other Canines turned and headed out of the room, leaving the small handful of others to continue handling the registration. I exchanged glances with Chimitsu, and she forced a smile as she followed right beside me, heading down the halls of the compound to the other side of the building. There, we were taken to a room that appeared to be a makeshift locker room, with various soldiers milling about.

Within seconds, I could tell some already had prior experience and training, ready and eager to fight. But most looked very young, younger than myself even, and more than a little bit afraid. These were farmers and students, people who had never even so much as lifted a sword, yet were willing to take one up and either kill or die by it. They were not warriors by trade, but believed in the cause enough to go so far as to even lay down their lives for it.

A few looked up and glanced my way, stopping whatever idle chatter they had been engaged in. I could feel a nervous apprehension sweeping over me as I realized the way their eyes were all fixed on me, hope flickering in their eyes. They were relying on me and my strength to lead them into the greatest battle of all time. And a great many of these would-be soldiers were still mere boys...

Conversations resumed. I turned to one of the younger ones, who were watching me with slightly widened eyes.

"Is this your first battle?" I asked softly, trying to remain calm and keep my own fears from becoming too evident.

"Yes, sir," he nodded. "Most of us have never fought before." He swallowed and looked around. "It's kind of...nerve wracking."

All I had to do was look around the room to see that it was nerve wracking for all of them. Even a number of the seasoned soldiers looked afraid. This was not just an ordinary enemy they were going up against, and they knew it. Aku was the ultimate enemy, and they were overthrowing the only ruler they had ever known in their lives. It was clear that this all seemed impossible to them. They had never so much as seen a world without Aku. But I had lived in it. I would live in it again, or I would die in my journey to get there.

"It is all right to be a little afraid," I reassured him. "But do not forget what you are fighting for. This is a great deal of blood crying out for justice." I placed my hand on his shoulder, forcing a smile. "You have the honor and priviledge of bringing that justice."

He nodded and gave me a nervous smile, and I dropped my hand, backing away and allowing him to return to the card game he had been playing with others at the table. I scanned the small group before turning to Rothie and Chimitsu. She took my hand in hers, the concern quite evident in her eyes.

"They're all so young," she whispered, too low for the others to hear.

"And inexperienced and afraid," I added quietly. "They hate Aku, yet they are rightly afraid of him."

"Yes, but they're all we've got."

I sighed and nodded, knowing that no matter how many we ended up with, or how young and inexperienced and afraid they were, it was all we had. They were willing and this battle had to be fought before more generations suffered Aku's wrath. I had hoped for soldiers more prepared than this, but at the same time, I realized that it was far more valuable to have a young man who was committed to his cause unto death than to have an older man whose heart was not in the battle.

Still, I could not help but feel apprehensive at the thought of rising up against Aku's evil-hardened minions and emotionless drones with only a handful of inexperienced, terrified young soldiers.

I took in a breath and let it out carefully before heading towards the door. I needed time alone to think about this. Instead of boosting my confidence, seeing these soldiers made me wonder more than I already was whether or not we would be able to do this. I had to think, hope and pray that it would be enough, and I could not let them see how uncertain I was about all this.

"Where are you going?" Chimitsu asked, following me out into the hall.

"I am going to go back to my room," I answered quietly. "I need to think this through."

She considered this for a moment before shaking her head. I was almost surprised, yet a bit grateful. I did not want her to see how uncertain I was, either.

I nodded and turned to head back to my room. Once inside, I paused only to shut the door and remove my katana from my obi, setting it down on a nearby table. My eyes lingered on it for a long moment, on the thin line of blood still on the edge of the blade, and for the first time, I took a moment to inspect the thin cut on my side. It was not much. The blade had cut so cleanly through the fabric it hardly seemed split at all but for the blood staining it.

The cut was not deep, and did not need to be cleaned. It was only a scratch, really. Convinced that it needed no care, I considered sleep, but knew that would be nearly impossible with the nervous tension I could feel everywhere. Meditation was another option, and one that would make much more sense, really. But instead of setting my mind to that, I found myself staring at the window, looking out over the courtyard of the compound. Below me, I could see more soldiers gathering, slowly trickling in through the compound gates. I stood still, watching them, wondering if we could do this.

It was one thing for me to have trained twenty years for this moment, but it was completely different to have people abruptly leave their jobs and families to take up a sword and fight. Few of these men and women had training and I knew that the battle would be incredibly difficult. I also knew that we would lose a great many of them as well, and that weighed a bit heavily on my heart to think about that.

The sound of a quiet knock on the door startled me out of my thoughts, and I glanced quickly up at the clock. I blinked in surprise as I realized I had spent more than an hour staring out into the yard. "Come in." The door cracked open and Chimitsu poked her head inside. "Am I disturbing you, Minamoto-chan?" "No," I replied. "Please, come in." I watched her enter before turning to gaze out over the courtyard again. I sighed softly as I felt her hands on my shoulders, kneeding gently again. "You're troubled," she whispered. I sighed again and my eyes slid closed.

"How are we going to do this, Chimitsu-chan?" I asked softly. I dared not voice my concerns to anybody but her.

She slid her arms around my middle and rested her chin on my shoulder before turning slightly and kissing my jaw.

"We just will," she whispered. "Worrying about how won't make it any easier. Just know that we will. We have to."

I sighed again and leaned my head against the glass, feeling its coolness against my skin. With one more brief kiss against my cheek, Chimitsu slowly pulled away and I opened my eyes, turning slightly toward her. Her eyes flickered, and I could tell that there was something on the tip of her tongue, but she did not speak.

"What is it?" I asked, slightly worried by her silence.

She offered a faint smile, reassuring me that it was not bad news that she was keeping from me. A moment later, she gently took my hand in hers and I squeezed it, waiting for her answer.

"There's something you should know," she said quietly.

My concern returned with the quiet, serious tone of her voice.

"What?" I turned around to face her fully, concerned. "What is wrong?"

"I love you."

I blinked, stunned. The world around me froze in that one moment. I was glad, in a way. It gave me a chance to comprehend her words. They had certainly caught me off guard, and for a long moment, I could not fully grasp them. She had just spoken the words I had longed to hear her say and somehow could never manage to say myself. And yet, somehow, the truth of them did not stun me. It was only the shock of finally hearing them spoken that rendered me speechless. I realized I already knew that she loved me. I had known for quite some time now. Looking back, it had been so obvious.

But I found myself unable to voice that, or any of the emotions that were suddenly breaking the surface for the first time. I could not seem to think straight, let alone speak and make any sense.

"Chimitsu-chan..." I began, struggling to find words that made coherent sense.

She reached up and gently hushed me, her slender fingertips brushing my lips in a way that made my breath catch. I quieted, still trying to find some organization to my thoughts, if only for my own peace of mind.

"I wanted you to know, Minamoto-chan," she breathed. Her voice was so quiet and gentle, I could feel my soul warm at the sound of it. "Before I lose my chance to tell you tomorrow."

"Why...would you?" I managed, confused.

I felt her hand slip from mine and watched her closely as she raised both hands to the sides of my face, leaning in until her lips touched mine. She lingered there for a long moment, her eyes sliding closed as her fingers moved back, into my hair. I felt her lips part, and I swallowed hard before allowing my eyes to slid closed. I opened to her slowly, and tensed just slightly as I felt her tongue slip alongside mine, caressing the inside of my mouth.

Her breath came shallow as she slowly, gently kissed me, much more deeply than she ever had before. Hesitantly, I returned it, letting her guide me into something altogether unfamiliar to me. Something that felt...incredibly intimate. It sparked thoughts inside of me that continued to grow in detail even once she had pulled away, very slowly. Her eyes locked on mine again, and she dragged her fingertips along my jaw. I could feel her breath, and hear it, and I stared into her eyes as her thumb traced my lower lip.

"I love you, Jack..."

I stared at her, speechless as she leaned in and kissed my upper lip briefly, then pulled away. Her warm hands left me, and she left one last kiss on my cheek before she turned away. My skin seemed to tingle in the wake of her gentle touch, and I opened my mouth to speak as she walked to the door. But no sound came out.

"Stay with me."

My breath caught as I realized I had spoken that. She froze mid-step, and turned back, a confused look on her face. But she did not speak. Instead, she waited for me to say more. I was not sure I would be able to. I stood, and hesitantly walked the few steps toward her.

"I mean...please..." I managed quietly. I took a deep breath as I reached out with an unsure hand and brushed the side of her face. "Please...do not go."

She turned to face me, and I watched her for a long moment as she studied me carefully, as if she were trying to figure me out. I swallowed hard, and took her hand between mine, lowering my eyes.

"I want you to stay the night with me, Chimitsu-chan."

Now it was her turn to be speechless. I dared a glance up and saw her eyes widen slightly in surprise. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.

"Please," I whispered, eyes locked on hers. "Ai shiteru..."

She did not speak, only leaned in, bringing her lips to mine again. It was more than enough to answer me. The passion in her kiss took my breath away, and I squeezed her hand tightly as my other arm circled her. I did not hesitate after that. There was no reason to.

I pulled her close and held her tight as I tasted her deeply. I paused as she pulled back, taking a moment to catch my breath.

"I want nothing more than to have you close to me tonight," I breathed. I could hear my heart pounding in my ears as I searched her face, and found her smiling. "To make love to you..."

Her hands cupped my face for a moment before her arms slid around my shoulders, holding me tightly.

"Yes," she whispered back, leaning up to kiss me again. She moaned softly into it, and I slid both arms behind her.

I shifted, scooping her up without breaking the kiss, supporting her behind her back and knees as I carried her over to the bed and lowered her to it. She spread out, and I straightened for just a moment, letting my eyes run up and down her body. Finally, I leaned down again, lowering over her as I claimed her lips again.

----------

_1 Ahondara_ - Idiot, dumbass...


	41. Yonjuu: Boiling With Rage

**Mad Jack**

For a few moments, I couldn't think straight, let alone answer him. I couldn't believe it. I just couldn't fucking believe it.

We had him right where we wanted him. _I_ had him. He was right there, ready to fall to pieces and take his own life. I was so _certain_ he would do it!

And yet, he didn't. He turned the tables on me without ever having to land a single blow.

I turned and thrust my fist through the castle wall, not caring if Lord Aku or anybody else heard. How the hell could he fall so far, reach that point where I knew he'd been broken, and yet manage to find the strength to pull himself back up! How could he find a way to beat me time and time again!

Never before had I heard him speak the way he had just a few seconds ago. I'd never heard him speak with such determined fury before, let alone curse so vehemently. I had to wonder when and how he managed to find the will to go on, to pull himself back up and continue to fight when it'd seemed so damn certain he'd lost his will.

And it was then that I realized we'd pushed him too far.

On Aku-sama's orders, we'd gone after every last friend of his we could find, anyone and everyone that'd mean something to him. We'd done our worst, done everything we could to bring him despair and bring him to his knees. And we'd almost succeeded.

But those same deeds that we'd hoped to shatter him with, only gave him a greater strength. Strength that he used to turn against me. And in that moment, I knew that the next time we met, I wouldn't be able to beat him.

If he could find a way to face his fears, his guilt, everything he felt each time we tore those who meant the most to him away from him, then there was no way in hell that I'd be able to beat him.

I swallowed back the fear that rose in my throat and a second hole joined the first in the castle wall. I would _not_ allow myself to be afraid of him. Even if our attempt to destroy him by his own hand had failed, I wasn't going to let myself acknowledge any feelings of fear I felt at the prospect of facing him again.

I ignored the blood running down my arm as I tore it from the wall and began to pace furiously. What the fuck was I going to do now? We'd done everything we could to break him and push him over the edge, and nothing had worked.

Suddenly, I realized that there probably wasn't anything we could do now. We could kill his friends, every last one of them, and he likely wouldn't do anything but grow stronger. Every death, every loss only fueled his determination and made him just that much stronger.

But even as I was nervous at the idea of facing him again, he too, was just as anxious.

Perhaps not so much as facing me, but at what we both knew lay ahead of him and his pitiful little band of friends. He knew how difficult this was going to be. He knew it was just him and whatever few they could gather against Aku's entire army and the rest of us. He knew they'd be lucky to reach even one of us, let alone Aku himself.

A faint, devious smile crossed my lips, knowing that so long as there was even one shred of doubt in his heart, it'd be enough.

Even the faintest twinges of doubt that they wouldn't be able to pull this off would be enough for me to exploit. All I'd have to do is find a way to make him even more aware of how impossible it was for them to win. A small army of less than a thousand couldn't possibly win against Aku's army, let alone the army combined with the rest of us.

I felt the nervousness in my own chest begin to fade at these thoughts. Aku-sama need not worry about this pitiful little group rising up against him. They had no chance, even if my twin led them.

Without them, he was nothing, and even with him, they were little more than fleas to us.

I laughed softly at my own foolishness for even thinking he could be a threat despite coming so close to taking his own life. We had broken him, and he'd come back, but he was no more a threat now than he'd ever been. I couldn't believe I'd even been afraid of him for one moment.

He was nervous, and knew the odds were against him. It didn't matter how many more we killed, or how long it took. There wasn't any way he could win, and that was simply a fact. Even if all of Aku Earth rose up against us, they had no hope, and I knew he knew that.

As I dared to gently reach out along our link, I could feel these emotions. I could feel the doubt, the hoping against hope, the fear that no matter how hard they might try, they'd inevitably fail. And I could tell that he worried that he might be resigning them all to certain death.

I smirked and leaned against the wall as I searched his emotions again. It was just like him to want to limit how many innocent lives were lost. Such foolish idealism would be his undoing and I wondered how well he understood that.

Yet, even as I ran through his emotions over and over again, I felt something new spring to life. Something that had remained so deeply buried within him that I doubted he'd ever find it. Something that I'd always thought he'd never find and hoped would remain buried within.

Love. He'd finally admitted it. He admitted, at least to himself if not to Chimitsu as well, that he loved her. And I realized in that very moment that she loved him as well, that they had admitted it to one another.

I couldn't help the panic that rose in my chest at that realization. If anything could make him even stronger, it was that. I swallowed hard as I tried to think of what to do now, only to find that my mouth had gone completely dry.

He didn't just love her, he wanted her to stay with him. That could only mean one thing. The one thing Lord Aku did _not_ want to happen, was going to happen, and I was powerless to stop it.

He was going to make love to her.

Nothing I could say or do would stop him. He was beyond hearing or sensing me now. His focus was solely on her. He hadn't blocked off his end of the link, but I could have yelled with all my might at him through it and I knew he wouldn't hear me.

I slammed my fist against the wall, cracking it from ceiling to floor and leaving a nice fist-shaped dent in the stone.

_No! This can't be happening! He can't fucking do this!_

Try as I might, I couldn't force the images of them together that flowed along the link out of my mind. Everything inside me screamed, begged for them to stop, but I knew they couldn't hear me. I swore profusely in every language I knew, practically tearing my hair out as the images and emotions kept flooding my mind.

Once he made love to her, there wouldn't be any stopping him. It was the one thing Aku had always feared, that he would find someone to love, a reason to live besides his quest and honor. If it was just him, we could easily destroy that.

If we'd been able to break his confidence when he was alone, then he wouldn't have had anything to live for. If his quest seemed so utterly hopeless, even honor wouldn't have been able to keep him from going on. Now he had so much more to live for, someone that he'd leave behind that meant more to him than his honor, his quest, and his very life.

A part of me prayed that Aku-sama didn't know about this yet. There wasn't any telling what the demon would do if he learned what I had in this very moment about my twin. There wasn't any way in hell that I was going to tell him, either.

To say that he wouldn't like it would be a serious understatement. The last thing we needed now was for him to know that Minamoto had grown stronger instead of breaking. I wasn't about to tell him that he'd gone and fucked his precious Wind Elemental senseless after all the reports I'd delivered saying how hard he was cracking under the constant pressure we were putting on him.

I forced myself to calm down, to not lose myself in the fear and panic that threatened to overwhelm me. I forced myself to ignore the feelings of pleasure and passion that spilled over my weak attempts to block it out, panting with the strain and lingering panic that still burned in my chest. I knew it wasn't going to do any good.

I couldn't stop them, couldn't prevent them from doing what we'd feared all along, and panicking about it wasn't going to solve the problem.

I swore violently and gave the stone wall one more punch before stepping away, pacing more furiously than I had before. Damn him! Now I really had reason to be concerned, not just about what was happening on his end, but keeping the knowledge away from Aku.

How the hell was I going to stop my twin in his tracks and not let on to Aku-sama what had happened? I couldn't tell anyone about this. Not Ekirei, not any of the minions, not any of the other Dark Elementals, and certainly not Aku. Nobody could know about this. I was on my own this time.

Somehow, I'd have to find a way to keep him under control and not let him know just how much this worried me.

If I'd been nervous before at the prospect of fighting him again after having failed to guilt him into taking his own life in shame, I knew I would panic for certain if I allowed it. But I wouldn't. No matter what he said, what he did, I wasn't going to allow myself to be consumed with fear. Not fear of him, and definitely not fear of what Lord Aku would do should he find out, though I could almost imagine what his reaction would be.

We wouldn't have to fear being destroyed by my twin, Aku-sama would do it for him if he found out what Minamoto had done.

Suddenly, I realized that the images and feelings had stopped. I couldn't hear their moans along the link anymore. Now, all I heard was silence and a contented blissfulness was all I could feel from them.

Shit. That was it, then. There wasn't a damn thing I could've done and I knew it, but that didn't keep me from wishing I'd been able to stop it.

I stormed out of the bedroom and into the hall, tipping over tables and smashing vases along the way. I didn't care how much of my castle I destroyed, I was too furious with my twin to stop. Tapestries were torn to shreds and statues shattered. Chairs and antiques flew into walls, shattering to pieces under my fury.

A solid oak table shattered under the force of my fists as I let it all fly, both in my home, and along the link. I didn't care if he couldn't hear me, or if he simply didn't care. At least he'd know exactly what I thought of all this.

_"I know you can hear me, futago. You think you fucking scare me, you and your bitch?"_

No answer. I growled softly, both out loud and along the link. If he noticed, he certainly didn't acknowledge it.

_"Do your worst! Name the time! Name the place! I'll be there and send you and your bitch to Hell myself!"_

Still no answer and another chair was reduced to splinters at my hands. I couldn't believe it. He was _asleep_! They'd fucked each other senseless and he was sound asleep without a care in the world!

_"Wake up you son of a bitch! Wake the fuck up!"_

Finally, he stirred. I could feel him wake up, if only a little, his eyes cracking open to stare into the darkness of the room they slept in.

_"You're going to pay, you little bastard. You're gonna fucking pay for this, you and that whore you sleep with! You think you can sleep comfortable and forget about what's happening outside around you?"_

I knew he could hear me now. He might not have been fully awake, but I knew that he was awake enough that he'd have no trouble hearing me along the link we shared. And I wasn't about to let him go back to sleep until I'd said what I had to say.

_"You're going to regret this, you piece of shit. I'm going to make you pay so dearly, you're going to wish you had the balls to take your life while you still had the chance."_

I snarled along the link, noting that he was listening, but simply didn't care. I knew he heard every last word and just didn't care. He didn't care what I said or threatened or what I was going to do.

He had his bitch, his pleasure, and he didn't give a shit what was happening in the world or what I was saying. No matter what I said or threatened, it didn't get him angry like it usually did. All I could feel was that damnable bliss radiating from him as he began to drift back off to sleep.

But I wasn't going to make it that easy. I didn't care that he didn't say anything, but he was going to hear me out before he could sleep again. I was going to make damn sure all his dreams from here on out became his worst nightmares.

I didn't care that Aku-sama had ordered us to save Minamoto's fate for him. I wasn't going to let even the demon have a chance to show my twin what true suffering and pain was like. I didn't care if it brought Aku's wrath down on myself, he was not going to deny me the pleasure of making sure my twin and his bitch suffered for this indignation.

_"Just you wait, you little shit. I'm going to see you in Hell soon enough, I guarantee it. Just you wait and see."_

I picked up a small marble statue of some sort of oni or another and crushed it to dust with my bare hands. I knew that he could see it along our connection and let the dust slip through my fingers to pile on the floor and be swept away later with the rest of the mess. I didn't have to say a word. He knew exactly what I meant by that gesture.

I was going to crush him and anyone else that got in my way, no matter what it took, even if it meant defying Lord Aku to do it.


	42. Yonjuuichi: Battle Strategy

The following morning, I awoke, feeling pleasantly strung out from the previous night's lovemaking. Chimitsu was curled up beside me, still sound asleep, her hair and wings slightly ruffled. I sat up and smiled, reaching over to brush a few strands of blonde silk out of her sleeping, contented face.

I felt so at peace and relaxed this morning, even though we had a great deal to do now. We could no longer delay in our efforts to stop Aku and his Dark Elementals, not when so many innocents were suffering. We had to go out, gather up the others, and see what we could do to end this war before it destroyed us all.

Yet, selfish as it was, I did not want to go. I wanted to stay with Chimitsu just awhile longer. I wanted to savor this rare moment of peace, but knew that I could not delay any longer.

With a soft sigh, I rose and searched for my clothes, finding my obi and kimono where they had haphazardly landed on the floor, but my fundoshi was nowhere to be found. I furrowed my brow and looked around, knowing that it could not have gone far. Eventually, I found it underneath a chair where I had apparently kicked it in the heat of passion the night before.

I sighed a little and picked it up with my kimono and obi, carrying them over to the table, folding them up before heading tot he bath.. I quietly shut the door beside myself and began to run the water before heading over to the closet to find a towel, which I set on the bench. Steam from the hot water began to fill the room and I realized just how tense I had been before last night.

Once the bath had been filled, I turned off the water and walked over to the shower, washing myself down. The hot water beating down on my back felt delicious, massaging the tightness in my muscles away a bit. I was almost content to stay where I was and let the water pound away, yet I knew the deep bath would be even more relaxing.

Finally washed down, I shut the shower off and turned to step into the tub, sighing quietly as I sank into the steamy water. I could feel myself instantly relax, although my mind was filled with what Chimitsu-chan and I would have to do today. No longer could we mourn and enjoy a night of passion in each other's arms.

The war outside was still raging on, despite how reports of the Dark Elementals had quieted some. I knew better than to think that they had given up on us. They would not stop until we had been crushed, every last one of us.

No, they were merely biding their time, waiting for the right moment to strike.

I closed my eyes and tried not to cry at the memory of everyone we had lost at the hands of the shadow demon and his emissaries. We had done plenty of mourning in these last few days and there was no need to prolong it. If we continued to wallow in our loss, then I knew Aku would take advantage of it, exploit it, and make certain that we had been crushed for good.

In no way would my honor allow such a thing.

I sighed again and tried to relax, but with my thoughts drifting to the impending rebellion, I found that relaxation was quite difficult. I had faced Aku many times before and each time, he had eluded me. I would always come so close to finishing him for good, yet something had always prevented it, whether it was his escape or interference from another source.

Needless to say, I was not exactly eager to go to all this trouble, face all these losses, only to fail again. No, I could not fail this time. No matter what happened, I could not fail in the destruction of Aku.

Somehow, I had a feeling that he, too, was tired of failing to destroy me, the one person who had singlehandedly been keeping him from complete conquest of this world. Just as I planned to put everything I had into the final fight, I knew that he would do exactly the same. We were tired of this cat and mouse chasing each other around, toying with each other, running and fighting another day. The final battle was coming, I could feel it.

And it was coming soon.

With another soft sigh, I knew that it was time to get out of the bath and go see if Chimitsu-chan was awake yet. She had been sound asleep when I had come in here, an unusual act for her. I knew her to be the type who could beat even me up and I was usually awake shortly before dawn.

I chuckled softly to myself, knowing that the powerful sex from the night before had done us both in.

I reluctantly withdrew from the bath, wishing I had been able to completely relax, but knew it was impossible until this war was over. I drained the water and walked across the tile floor to the bench, picking up the thick white towel and drying myself off. Finally dry, I wrapped the first towel around my hips before finding another, using that one to towel my hair dry.

When I had finished, I sighed a little and draped the second towel over my shoulders, stepping out to see if Chimitsu was up. Indeed she was, sitting on a chair with her wings folded against her back, completely nude, running a brush through her hair. When she had usually kept it up, I had not noticed how long it was. At this angle, I could tell that it went almost to the floor.

I smiled, noting that she made quite a lovely sight.

"Ohayou, Chimitsu-chan." I said softly.

She wheeled around, startled to hear my voice, yet still managed to smile upon seeing me.

"Good morning, Minamoto-chan. Did you sleep well?"

"Of course. And you?"

"Quite well."

She winked at me and I chuckled, heading over to the table to get dressed. I knew she was watching, but at that point, after last night, I did not care. After I had pulled my hair up into its usual topknot, I tucked my katana into my obi, sighing a little as I felt her embrace me from behind, feeling her bare breasts against my back through the fabric of my kimono.

"Going out to gather everyone up?" she asked.

"Yes. We cannot delay our efforts any longer. This war must be stopped and it must be stopped now."

She sighed a little, looking slightly disappointed, but nodded as I turned around to face her.

"I know. I don't want to think about it either, but we can't stay hiding here forever. He'll eventually find us and tear us apart if we try."

"Exactly. I want to get the others started on weapons to fight Aku's armies with while we deal with Aku himself."

"And the Dark Elementals?"

"We will deal with them as well. None of the others will be able to handle any of them, especially if Aku takes his Elemental form."

"How do you know about Aku's Elemental form?"

"I saw him in the dreams when I was in the coma. Tall, pale, dressed in black, hair down almost to the floor or in a topknot or braid?"

"Ohmygoddess. That's him. That's his Elemental form. Was he carrying a bisento?"

"Yes."

She looked absolutely pale and I wondered if I was going to have to keep her from falling to the floor.

"Jack, you don't know what those dreams mean." she said.

"What do they mean, Chimitsu-chan?"

"It means that the end has begun. It'll take a miracle to stop this war now with how much has been thrown off course. If this persists, if we don't stop it now, then he'll destroy everything."

"What do you suggest we do? I can get the others prepared for fighting droids and minions, but I do not know how to harness the power of the Star of the Elements. I only know that its power has been activated and that your sisters have all invoked their power within me."

"We will make the journey to Asagi's temple on Hyousetsu Mountain in the north. We'll be able to summon Light with the Star from there and she'll be able to tell you how to bring about the Star's full power."

"Very well. Get dressed, koibito1, and I will go start getting the others ready. Then we can get going on our way to your sister's castle."

She nodded and turned back to pick up her dress. I watched her go for a second or two before forcing myself to turn around and find the others. Duty before any further pleasure.

I made my way down the halls, eventually finding Rothie and the others all gathered in the lounge with a large map spread out before them on the equally large table. I walked over to get a cup of tea, not exactly ignoring them, simply not wanting to interrupt. Yet it was not long before they noticed that I was there.

"Well, I'll be. Look who's finally come out of his room, gentlemen." Extor said.

I could hear the rustling of paper and clothing behind me, but did not turn around, focusing on pouring the cup of tea.

"We were beginning to worry, Jack, if you or Chimitsu were ever going to leave your rooms." Rothie said.

I chuckled softly and turned back to face them, my cup of tea in hand.

"There was never anything to worry about. We were in mourning, yes, but I did say that we needed recovery time." I said.

"And you have recovered?"

"Yes. Suffice to say, we have both recovered as best we can. Honestly, we have no choice anyhow. There may not be any word from the Dark Elementals, but I know they have not gone into hiding. They are waiting for us and while they wait, innocents will suffer. Have all the resistance forces been brought here?"

"As many as we could find. My dear boy, you have no idea just how difficult it is to covertly gather up people who were willing to risk themselves to help you. You've built up, well, quite a reputation."

"I am well aware of that. No doubt, Mad Jack is tarnishing what good there is left to my name."

"He doesn't matter, Jack. He's just a pawn in Aku's game, you know that."

I sighed softly, sitting down at the table with the tea still in hand. I sipped it quietly, staring at the map, thinking. It was true that Mad Jack and the Dark Elementals were all pawns, but I knew that they were dangerous pawns, ones who could cripple or destroy us all if we failed to keep on our guard.

"I know, but he has caused plenty of trouble. Look at what he did in Central Hub. I will never be able to go back there or face the wrath of the citizens because he appeared and killed their children, all while dressed and looking exactly like me. He may be a pawn, but he is still extremely dangerous." I said.

"That may be true, but not everyone has turned against you. We were able to find some who were willing to aid us."

"How many?"

"About one thousand."

"A thousand! Against Aku's numerous troops!"

I sank to the table with my head in my hands. Gods, there was just no possible way this war would be won by us. Aku's troops would simply massacre them while Chimitsu-chan and I took care of the Dark Elementals. I could not allow it. I could not bear to have any more lives lost on my account, on my soul.

"It is impossible to win like that. He will butcher you all." I said quietly, forcing back the cold dread in my chest.

"It may be impossible for us to win by directly fighting his troops, but we need not remind you that you'll be hitting the source. You and Chimitsu will both be going after Aku and his emissaries. If you two stop them, then the droids will be rendered completely useless."

"I know, but for you and all those people here to be nothing more than cannon fodder for them...it is unbearable."

"But it's a risk we must take. We must be willing to lay down our lives, to fight, if you're to have a chance to destroy the source."

"I am beginning to wonder if Aku's destruction is worth all these lives that have been and will be lost."

"My dear boy, there's no choice in the matter. You know as well as the rest of us do that if you don't destroy him, all those who've fallen will have died in vain. His continued existence brings only suffering and pain."

"Right."

I sighed heavily and rubbed at my temples.

"We have long since passed the point of no return. Lives have been lost, the war has been started, and we must finish it, regardless of the cost. We are all that is left to stand between Aku and his total dominance of this planet. I cannot force any of you to not lay down your lives for me, for the sake of his destruction, but I will pray that we will not lose a one of you, even if it may be too much to ask of the gods." I said.

"It's the price one must pay for peace."

I sighed again and nodded, finishing the last of my tea before taking a closer look at the map. It was very detailed and showed the entire globe. I recognized a few places, noting that what was once Nihon2 had merged with another of the continents, hence why I was able to get to Edo without realizing it. There was no ocean to cross to get from China to Japan anymore.

"Have you located Aku's fortress? We cannot proceed until we know where his fortress is. Searching for it will cost us more time and thusly more lives and I am not willing to do such a thing." I said.

"I can answer that."

I looked up, seeing Maeven there, smiling.

"Good morning, Maeven-san. Good to see you again."

"Good to see you too, Jack. Good to see you feeling better, you and the Lady."

She fluttered over, giving me a kiss on the cheek before hovering over the map, looking carefully. I could tell she was concentrating, not used to using maps, but her own knowledge of the lands. Finally, she landed and pointed at a spot somewhere in the middle of the European Alps. From what I knew, it was close to Chimitsu-chan's castle. Dangerously close.

"Here. Here's where Aku's fortress lies. He has numerous ones lying about the lands, but this is his central fortress as far as I know. The others simply relocate themselves, scattering about the planet to throw people off to where his central lair is truly located." she said.

"How is it that you know which is the real one and which one is just a decoy?"

"The shadow demon may be able to hide himself from mortals and even the Lady, but he can't hide himself from the planet itself. The planet and its living creatures and elements know everything, see everything, no matter where he'll go. He can't escape the circle of Elements, none of us can. We hear it on the wind, in the flames, in the water, see it in our meditations. He can't hide from those of us who live in harmony with the planet."

"I see. So this is where Chimitsu-chan and I should head."

"We'll all go. If you and the Lady go alone, he'll send out his troops and you won't be able to fight your way through them all to get to him. Not if you want to keep your strength for him. There may be casualties, but we're willing to lay down our lives if it means that you and the Lady get through to the demon."

I sighed a little, not liking the thought of more friends dying, but it had to be done. I would not be able to fight my way through and still have strength left to fight Aku, particularly if he took his Elemental form. Still, they would need help somehow. Chimitsu could not harm Aku herself, but she could certainly keep him and the Dark Elementals at bay while I did the fighting.

"If there are only a thousand of you, how will you fight? How will you defend yourself against his droid armies? There are so few of you and he will have an endless supply of them at hand." I said.

"Leave that to me, Jack." Extor said.

Maeven and I looked up, more than a bit surprised.

"How?"

"There's a number of mechanics among us. If we work around the clock in shifts for a few days, we'll be able to provide cannons and weaponry for everyone here. If we use artillery and keep them at a distance, we'll have more of a chance of surviving than in close combat."

"Aku's forces also have artillery."

"But they don't have shields."

"Shields? What good will a little shield do against a cannon?"

"Not a handheld shield, Jack. Forcefields, magical shields. They'll realize they can't hit us with their artillery and will simply keep moving forward to get us in close. While they're doing that, we fire upon them until we run out of ammo. Then we'll have to fight them in close combat, but until then, we'll have a space of time in which to get you and Chimitsu into the fortress. After that, it's in the hands of the gods."

I sighed and nodded. It was the only card we had to play. We would just have to play it and play it good.

"If we have a few days, that will give Chimitsu time to get me to her sister's temple to help me figure out how to use the Star of the Elements. It has been activated, but I do not know how to use its magic or if it is automatic or what I must do. We should be able to get there and back in the time it takes all of you to supply us with weaponry." I said.

"When do you and Chimitsu plan to leave?"

"Immediately." Chimitsu's voice rang out.

We instantly turned around, seeing her standing in the doorway in her Chinese print dress, her hair back up in its clip. I quickly stood, surprised to see her looking so serious. It did not suit her any more than sorrow did. She was more suited to lively cheerfulness.

"Chimitsu-chan..." I began.

"We're out of time, Minamoto-chan. I can make the teleport to my sister's castle while the others work on the weapons. There's no telling how long it'll take to summon Light and figure out how you need to use the Star of the Elements. We need every second we can get."

* * *

_1koibito_ sweetheart  
_2Nihon_ Japan 


	43. Yonjuuni: Goddess

Chimitsu's voice left no room for arguement and I walked over to her, slipping my arms around her slim waist. A moment later, she wrapped her warm wings around me, but she did not initiate the teleport. She was hesitating, torn between her duty to get me to her sister's temple and staying with the others to protect them.

Yet, in another second, her hesitation was over and she made the jump. It was momentarily dizzying as usual, but I found that I was starting to get used to dematerializing and rematerializing. The temple was as I had seen in my coma, cold and forboding in appearance, yet I realized that the inside was quite warm despite the frozen looks.

"We're here." Chimitsu said.

"Indeed. Will you be all right?"

No doubt this journey had reopened a number of old wounds for her and I was worried if she would be able to do what she needed.

"I have to be. There's no more time for mourning. Come, the Altar of Infinity is this way."

She strode down the same corridor I had seen and passed down before, her shoes and mine making quiet clicking noises against the pale blue stone. I could see through the windows many mountains, a world of icy whiteness beyond these cold, pale walls. It was almost more than I could bear, this lonely solitude so far up in the heavens above the world below.

I looked to Chimitsu as we approached a pair of heavy doors, the same ones that led to Asagi's cathedral chamber. I was unable to read the look on her face, seeing emotionlessness on her face, but a myriad of emotions in her eyes, from hatred, pain, sadness, and finally, determination. I could only try to imagine what she was thinking at that moment.

Finally, the doors pushed open, revealing the cathedral chamber, just as it had been in my coma dream. Glass lay scattered about the floor where Asagi had stood when she died, only a scorch mark remaining. I closed my eyes, swallowing hard at the memory of how she had died, blown apart into nothingness in a single instant, bravely going down without a protest.

Chimitsu's sandals made crunching noises on the millions of tiny shards of glass as she crossed the floor over the ice kanji towards the altar. I followed, shivering for a moment when a blast of icy cold air hit me from through the skylight above. I stood there, shivering, finding it incredibly difficult to move forward towards the altar, the wind chilling me clear to the bone.

"Minamoto...-chan...oh goodness, Jack, you're all blue!" she cried when she turned back, seeing I had not followed.

In an instant, she sealed off the broken skylight and I began to feel warm again. She hurried over and wrapped her wings about me from behind as she guided me over towards the Altar of Infinity. I had not managed to catch a close glimpse of it before, but now I was able to see its intricacy and incredible detail.

Four silver candleabras stood at each corner, almost as tall as I was. On the altar itself at each corner were four icy sea turtle statues, all looking as if they were in mid-swim with four other creatures on their shells. A phoenix, a white tiger, a dragon, and lastly, a pegasus.

I was beginning to see the Elemental connection here. This was Asagi's temple home, so of course there would be four turtles at each corner, but I recognized the other mystical creatures as those representing the other four Elementals. The only one I had trouble placing was the pegasus and that had to be Chimitsu's.

On the center of the altar was a circle in which was carved a star shape in the center of which was a figure eight. I lightly ran a fingertip over it, knowing I had seen such a symbol somewhere before. It almost did not seem to fit in with the rest of the pattern, but I knew that it would not be here if it was out of place.

Of course! Infinity! No matter how many times I ran my fingertip over the figure eight, I never came to a start or end, always looping over the same path over and over again.

Chimitsu-chan took the Star from around her neck and placed it directly on top of the infinity symbol before beginning to chant in the same language I had heard her and Maeven speak before. It was familiar, yet foreign, all at the same time. I could not understand the words to speak them myself, but my heart certainly understood.

I watched as the points of the Star all lit up, one by one, first the Fire Point, then Earth, then Water, then Metal, and then Wind. They flashed in that pattern faster and faster until they appeared to be glowing in unison, the colors blending until the entire amulet had gone white. It was blinding, hard to watch, yet I could not tear my eyes away.

Without warning, there was a brilliant flash of light and I could feel myself begin to dematerialize in a spontaneous teleport. It was all so sudden that there was no time to cry out, to reach for Chimitsu, or anything. In the time that I had taken to throw my arms up in front of my face to block, I had already begun to disappear from Asagi's temple.

Upon opening my eyes, I was shocked to find that I was floating in the middle of space with Chimitsu. Somehow, we had both been transported from Asagi's temple to somewhere within the depths of space, as impossible as I knew it was. I was beginning to understand now why there had been an infinity symbol on the altar, whose name was also beginning to make sense.

The Light Elemental was an Element of infinity, reaching everywhere to penetrate the darkness.

"Chimitsu-chan, where are we?" I asked.

"Infinity Castle."

"We have left Earth?"

"Yes. We're far out in space away from where we were, although I couldn't begin to tell you where exactly. This is the best kept secret in the galaxy. Only those who have been chosen by the Elementals ever see it."

"By the gods..."

I reached out, curious to find if there was anything between us and the vastness of space. My hand brushed against something that, well, I still have difficulty explaining, even to this day. It was not exactly warm, nor was it cold, solid or transparent. It was all of these things and none of them, all at the same time.

Chimitsu-chan, oddly enough, did not seem bothered in the least by it all.

I gently pressed my hand to what I thought was the wall, watching the stars on the other side ripple, shimmering as if I was looking at them through some sort of bubble. If this was the home of the Light Elemental, then I was beginning to wonder where she was. It was not like an Elemental to keep their guests waiting, after all.

No sooner had I lowered my hand from the wall than a wind tore through the area, giving the castle its shape. No wonder Chimitsu-chan had failed to move or touch anything. She knew that I would be curious and reach out to touch the castle walls.

The shape the castle took, however, was one that I was heartbroken to see, feeling a stinging pain burn in my chest at the sight. It had taken the ghostly shape of my father's castle as I remembered it as a child, shortly before Aku had appeared. I could no longer see the stars beyond these walls, only my father's castle as a phantom, right down to the tapestries, paintings, and tatami mats.

"What sort of sorcery is this, Chimitsu-chan?" I asked, my voice threatening to break.

"Infinity Castle takes on the shape its visitors give it. When you touched the wall, it felt your memories and desires to return to your father's castle and took its shape."

"Take us back, please. I wish to go home."

"I can't. Now that we're here, we cannot leave until we've been allowed."

I squeezed my eyes shut tightly and forced back the painful emotions that the memories of my father's castle invoked. Chimitsu wrapped her arms and wings around me, resting her chin on my shoulder, pressing her hands warmly against my chest. I did not want to open my eyes again, to see the ghostly image of my father's castle before me.

"We must go...she's waiting for us." she finally said.

I slowly opened my eyes as she released me, taking only a second to compose myself, forcing down the stinging ache that burned in my heart. Chimitsu led the way down the halls to where my father's audience chamber had been and I followed, feeling chills as I walked these ghostly halls. Many times I had remembered these halls, my parents, my life as a child, but this was too eerie.

It was almost as if I could expect to run into one of my father's guards as I turned the corner or perhaps even run into my father himself.

Chimitsu used a bit of magic to slide the doors apart, heading inside. I followed, finding this room less ghostly and more solid than the rest of the castle, unsettling me even further. I was not entirely certain I wanted to see what or whom Chimitsu-chan was blocking, knowing that if the Light Elemental had taken the form of my father, I was never going to forgive either of them for putting such pain in my heart.

However, when she moved aside, I was relieved to see that it was not my father sitting there, but a ghostly woman that seemed to shimmer with the light. Her robes were as silver as her hair, shimmering with every color of the rainbow as it passed through her. But when she raised her head to look at me, I received a shock.

The Light Elemental was completely blind.

I froze, not certain what to say, the sight of those opaque eyes sending chills down my spine. I could feel her watching me, her eyes following me as I stood there. Chimitsu-chan said nothing, waiting patiently off to one side with her wings folded against her back.

After a few moments of contemplation, the Light Elemental beckoned me forward to kneel in front of her. I did not dare hesitate and did so, setting my katana to my right with the hilt facing behind me. As soon as I had done so, the Light Elemental reached out and took my hands, hers feeling warm like my mother's.

Finally, she smiled.

"It is good to see you at last, Minamoto-san. You're everything I knew you would be. Strong, tall, handsome, with a heart that not even my counterpart cannot corrupt." she said.

"I mean no insult, but I have heard this before. I am who I am, but what does it have to do with the Star of the Elements?"

She paused for a moment, her opaque eyes meeting mine for a moment before she chuckled, looking down to my hands.

"Ahh, the ambitiousness of youth. Long has it been since I have seen such a strong, youthful spirit. Tell me, do you know why we Elementals have favored not only your family bloodline, but you over all the others?" she asked.

"I thought it was because of my pure heart."

Once more, she chuckled, but it was not a mocking sort of laughter. Honestly, I did not know what to make of this enigmatic, omnipotent spirit.

"Ohh, it is not just because of that. Rare is it that a Minamoto does not have a pure heart. That alone does not make you able to wield both the sword and the Star of the Elements."

"What? You mean the Star and my sword have never been used together by the same warrior before?"

"Of course not! What a silly thing to think!"

I blinked. How on earth could it be silly to not have the two together? This was getting more and more bizarre by the minute and I was beginning to regret crawling out of bed that morning.

"Silly? Forgive me, but I do not understand how it could be silly."

"Of course you wouldn't. Using the Star with that sword is as natural a thought to you as breathing and protecting. But, to others, they never think to use the two together as they were meant to be used. They are powerful weapons apart from each other, yes, but they are even more powerful when used together, understand?"

"Yes, but only if I knew how to use the Star of the Elements. I know its power has been activated, but I do not know how to harness that power in order to use it."

"My dear Minamoto, you mean to tell me that you don't know how to use the activated power?"

I shook my head, feeling more than a little bit ashamed of myself. I could feel her compassionate gaze rest upon me, not accusing or even scolding, simply sympathetic. It was clear that she already knew everything that had gone on for myself and Chimitsu-chan and that we had neither one had thought about trying to use the Star's power before now.

"I see now. The demon has been keeping you both so busy with the chaos that he has created that you neither one thought to actually try summoning the power. You both thought it would simply come to you when needed. Tell me, child, do you wear the amulet often?" she asked.

"Wear it? I have only seen it whole a few times. I have never worn it."

She appeared panicked for a moment before shooting Chimitsu a reprimanding look.

"Do you have it with you? Tell me you have not lost it."

"I have it." Chimitsu said, taking it from around her neck and bringing it over.

The Light Elemental seemed more than a little relieved and took it in her ghostly hands, looking it over as Chimitsu knelt beside me.

"You silly girl. You've had it on _your_ neck this whole time?" she asked, not exactly scoldingly, but almost amusedly.

"Yes. Aku has bounty hunters and people looking everywhere for Jack. I didn't dare let him carry the Star out of fear it would fall into the wrong hands. I felt it was necessary for me to carry it until it was needed."

Once again the Light Elemental laughed and shook her head, drawing a furious blush to Chimitsu-chan's cheeks as she gave a bow of apology.

"Whatever possessed you to think that Aku could get his hands on it after its power had been activated?" she asked.

"I don't know. I simply thought that when the powers didn't reveal themselves, it wasn't time to use the Star. It was whole when I received it from my sisters and he'd tried to steal it from me then. I didn't know that there was any real difference between then and now."

"Except that it had not been activated when you first received it. It's attuned to him now and Aku could never take it away from him, much less use it. There was always a need to worry when it was deactivated, but now he'll never be able to get his hands on it. You neither one need to fear it falling into his hands now. Actually, you are quite fortunate he never thought to chase _you_, Chimitsu, dear. If he had, he might have succeeded in stealing it and making it difficult for you two to retrieve it, but he will never be able to use it now that it's activated and attuned to Jack."

"I do apologize."

"It isn't your fault. That demon's given all of us a reason to be exceptionally careful around him. He's done things that he should never have been able to do. I suppose that's my fault."

I was shocked, although Chimitsu had not moved from her bowing position.

"Your fault? How could it be your fault?" I asked.

"Because I tried to be fair and lenient with him. He's the fourth Dark Elemental we've had and I had hoped that being kinder would keep him from getting out of hand. Instead, it simply made him think of us as weak and drove him to test us, see how far we'd let him go. Now it is all in your hands, young samurai."

"I see."

She sighed a little and folded her hands in her lap, the Star resting upon her knuckles.

"I do not blame you. You were trying to do things differently, to keep the Dark Elemental under control and it backfired. I suppose that...even Elementals can make mistakes." I said quietly.

Her opaque eyes watched me carefully, her expression kind and motherly.

"Now that, is the reason why you are favored best among your entire family line, Jack. Your wisdom and forgiveness. You understand that people make mistakes and try to see the best in everyone until they have proven they won't change for the better. Others have tried, but you are the only one to ever succeed. Your own hard life here on Aku Earth where your honorable ways are outlawed and ways you know to be outlawed are the law has given you a view on things that nobody else in your bloodline ever has or will see. You know what it is like to make mistakes and be on the wrong side of the law, even if you never changed your morals and ways."

"Yes, but there are things that I have done...that I wish I could take back, that I had never done or said."

"But you know that you cannot. Why do you think you have not committed seppuku yet when you have had plenty of opportunity for it?"

"Because the people here need me. There is nobody else to do what I must do."

"Oh, if you had gone through with it, there would be others. If you had truly wanted to atone for all the sins you think you've committed, you wouldn't have been stopped by all those people depending on you, or even my daughter's love for you."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that you haven't done it because you know that it won't change anything. That your death won't change what happened in your home time, in this future, and what you have said or done. You know that it won't bring back those lost or who will be lost or take back any of the horrors you have seen in your short life. You remain alive because you're driven to set things on the right track."

"But what if I commit seppuku afterwards?"

"You won't. I know you better than you know yourself, Jack. When things have been set completely right again, you'll have done more than enough to atone for any sin you think you've committed. The Star and that sword you hold, they're nothing special. They have great power, yes, but that isn't what makes them special. It's you, Jack. Its the power you hold in here...that makes them special."

Her hand reached out and gently pushed the folds of my kimono open, baring my chest, where she gently placed one hand over my heart with the Star pressed between them. I could feel a warmth there, pulsing with each heartbeat, completely in tune with my very being. Oddly enough, it felt as if it completed me, as if something had been missing all this time and the Star was what was needed to make me whole.

"I...I do not understand. How does one man and not another make these items special?" I asked.

She chuckled softly, slowly lowering her hand and the Star.

"The items alone are not special because their power is indiscriminate. It can be used for light or darkness. They don't think or have emotions. You, on the other hand, you make them special when nobody else can because you have emotions. You have love, compassion, purity. Even when faced by the very evils that commonly befall humankind, you still resist. Surely you haven't forgotten Hub Four now, have you?"

Slowly, it came back to me. How Chimitsu-chan and I had gone in to find the last Dark Elemental and how we had nearly succumbed to her spell of lust and desire. The other spells cast by the other Dark Elementals had been easy to spot and fight, but when it had been cast to bring out emotions Chimitsu-chan and I had denied ourselves, it had nearly cost us. Only by realizing our folly and admitting, if only to ourselves, how we felt, had we escaped.

"I see. Others fall so easily when they think of their own goals and desires. But my goal is not just my own, but the goal of every good and decent person in this twisted world. In Hub Four, Chimitsu and I had nearly forgotten about what our mission was and almost gave into desires we had purposely denied ourselves for the sake of what we had to do. We were willing to sacrifice something very personal if it meant the freedom of this world." I said.

"Yes. You both wanted love and companionship with each other, but even that wasn't worth letting Aku rule this world. You would have rather caused yourselves misery than let him cause it in everyone. And it was worth it, wasn't it? You escaped the spell to not only fight another day, but you both found, if only for one night, what you desired most."

My face burned furiously with a blush as I realized that she had known what Chimitsu-chan and I had done the night before. I could hear Chimitsu shifting a bit uncomfortably beside me, yet the Light Elemental simply chuckled. I could not bring myself to look up at either of them.

"Oh, come now. You two held out longer than you should have. Everybody knew how head over heels you were for each other, yet you continued to deny each other until you couldn't stand it any longer. There wasn't a thing wrong with what you two did. It was all a matter of timing. The Dark Elemental's spell may have brought out those desires, but you both knew that the timing wasn't right in Hub Four. It _was_ right when you finally did give into each other. By accepting your human limitations and desires, Minamoto-kun, it only made you stronger." she said.

"How could it possibly make me stronger?"

"Because you're willing to admit that you can't do everything, even though you wish you could. By accepting the fact that you have limitations, instead of thinking you're a god as Aku does, you've proven yourself to be no fool. The demon will foolishly try to extend his limitations, to do more than is possible, and it'll only do him in. You know yourself better than he knows himself and have accepted everything you are and can do. Instead of trying to do what you know you cannot, you do what you can and no more."


	44. Yonjuusan: Gaining Strength

I sighed a little and watched Chimitsu and the Light Elemental. Neither one spoke for some time, yet I was anxious to get back down to Earth and get this battle over with. No doubt, the Dark Elementals would take advantage of our momentary absense and cause even more damage.

"I do not mean to be rude, but we really must be going back. We need to know how to call upon the powers of the Star so that we can ensure Aku's defeat before even more lives are lost." I said.

"Of course. No insult has been taken, Minamoto-san. I know how much it weighs on your heart to know of all those who were lost so far in this war and to know that more will be lost before it's all over. You simply want to save as many lives as possible."

"Yes. Already the Dark Elementals may be causing more destruction in our absense."

"Possibly, but I do not sense it. Nonetheless, we'll get you set here and well acquainted with how to perfectly harmonize with the Star. Once you've done that, you won't need to think to summon its power. It'll be virtually automatic for you."

She took the Star and held it up by its chain so that I could slip my head through it. I ducked my head down and through the chain, feeling its cool weight upon my neck. The chain felt so thin that I was certain it would be easy to break, but somehow, I had a feeling that it was harder to snap than it appeared.

Once she had released it and I had raised my head again, I could feel it against my chest, pulsing warmly with my heartbeat. It felt natural to me, like another limb, an extention of myself as my sword was. I could feel its power welling up in me to almost explosive proportions, filling my body and soul to capacity, yet I had no clue how to release it.

"Do you feel it?" she asked.

"Yes...I feel it. I can feel its power filling my body. It wants to be released."

"Good. It's harmonizing with you, but you need to also harmonize with it. It is not a one-sided thing. Both you and that amulet must work together, think together, act together, all without realizing that you are doing so if this is to work."

She rose and Chimitsu-chan quickly stood and moved off to the side as the Light Elemental beckoned for me to stand. I did not dare to disobey and stood, waiting for her next instruction. She moved behind me effortlessly and I could feel her opaque eyes studying me carefully, eyeing my body up.

I shifted uncomfortably until I felt her hands upon my back.

"Stop moving, child. If you can't let go of your nervousness or embarrassment, you'll never be able to harmonize with the Star. Be in complete control of your emotions without exception. You are the closest thing to a pure Elemental in the mortal realm and you have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of or nervous about. Relax and focus on the Star of the Elements, let it guide you until you are both working and thinking together." she instructed firmly.

"Right."

Immediately, I closed my eyes, allowing my mind to relax until I could feel the presense belonging to the Star of the Elements in my heart and mind. I could feel it there, resonating with the power of the five Elemental sisters in full force. It was a part of me now, something that could never be separated from me without killing me first.

"Feel it resonating with your heartbeat, its pulse one with yours." she instructed.

"I feel it."

"But that's the easy part. Once you feel it beating in time with your heart, you must not let it go for anything. Pain, suffering, anything short of death."

"I know. I understand that. I...I knew that already somehow."

There was a moment of silence before I could sense her smiling.

"Most impressive. You are already beginning to harmonize with it."

I was encouraged by her words and kept my eyes closed, feeling the power slowly become a part of me instead of filling my body like a foreign presense trying to possess me. I could feel my will increase with the power, every part of me growing stronger, faster, more powerful than before. It was only then that I realized how uncomfortable it had been to consider the power as something that filled my body to capacity, why I felt as if I could almost explode with the overwhelming feeling of it.

"When you are ready, Jack, let it go. It might feel a bit odd, but I assure you it won't hurt." she said.

Slowly, I took in a few breaths, readying myself. I did not know what was going to happen when I finally released all this power, but if it was not going to hurt me, then I doubted it would hurt either of them. Somehow, I had the feeling that the only thing this power would ever hurt would be Aku and the Dark Elementals.

When I felt confident enough, I allowed myself to trust the power inside of my heart and let it go.

The feeling that came with the release of all that pent-up power was one of unimaginable relief. It was as if all that power had been held back for too long and wanted to be freed. I began to realize that holding back like that had only hurt me and the efforts I had been making to defeat Aku.

I could feel the power overwhelm me, washing over me until I began to feel it fade away, retreating back into my body where it maintained a steady level. I felt unbelievably relaxed and calm, completely unafraid or unconcerned of what lay ahead of us. I felt refreshed, reborn, completely new.

When I opened my eyes, I saw the Light Elemental smiling and Chimitsu, well, she looked quite stunned to say the least. I did not know why when I did not feel any different than before. The only change was that I was more at ease with myself and the events that had happened up until now, having accepted it all completely with the power from the amulet.

"Minamoto-chan..." she said quietly.

"What is it?"

"You...you look so different."

"I do not feel any different than before. Why are you so shocked?"

"Take a look."

She conjured up a full-length mirror, holding it up so I could see my own reflection.

My eyes widened immediately upon seeing myself and the changes that had occured after accepting the Star's full power. Lightweight robes of gray and blue had replaced the white and gray kimono I had been wearing only moments before, covered with an equally lightweight white and gold armor. It covered my back and chest with shoulder plates that greatly exaggerated my shoulders to almost absurd proportions.

The gauntlets came up to my elbows and the metal boots went up to my knees. It was a western-styled armor, quite different from the samurai armor I was accustomed to wearing whenever I chose to wear any armor at all. If it had not been so impressive, I would have said I looked completlely ridiculous. Even my katana had changed, its handle and scabbard now white instead of black as they had been before.

And in the center of the chestplate armor sat the Star of the Elements, shining a blue color to match the robes I wore and the other gems inset in the white armor.

"By the gods! What did you do to me!" I cried.

"We didn't do anything, Minamoto-kun. You did this yourself. When you accepted the Star's power, you accepted yourself as well. This is how you are when you are at ease with yourself and at full power. The power of the Star will come to you now with simply a thought. You likely won't even realize that you're using it until after the fact."

"I see. I feel...stronger, more powerful."

"Of course. You should. I'd think something was wrong if you didn't."

"How...how do I change back?"

"With a thought whenever you want to."

No sooner had I began to think about changing back to how I had been a few moments before, than I felt the Star's power retreat and my clothing change back to normal. It was very strange to feel so full of power and yet so normal at the exact same time. The Star itself lay against my chest, hanging from its chain, looking so ordinary and powerless.

I reached down and took it in my hand, studying it, wondering how such a stone could hold so much power. I could think of so many others besides Aku who would love to be able to get their hands on this for their own gains, but knew that none of them could use it. Yet, a part of me began to wonder...

"What about Mad Jack?" I asked.

"What about him?"

"He is my clone. He looks exactly like me. He is...me...but the complete opposite. Even with Aku's power filling him, he is still technically one and the same as me."

"What are you getting at, young Minamoto?"

"Would he be able to use the Star if he ever got it away from me?"

Chimitsu-chan looked momentarily panicked, glancing over to the Light Elemental. Her expression turned concerned for a second, then thoughtful as she contemplated this. I knew that neither one had considered this before, but now were quickly giving it some thought before allowing me to return to Earth.

"No. He won't be able to use it. He may be your twin, but his heart is filled with evil and he isn't a pure clone to you as he was the first time. He is a mixture of you and my daughter, Metal. Perhaps if he wasn't filled with such malice, he might have a chance, but together with that and my daughter's essence, he can't. Elementals protect the Star, they cannot use it and he is a Dark Elemental. You need not fear him." she finally said.

"Can any of them destroy the Star?"

"No. The Star cannot be destroyed. Even if they kill you, destroy your body, nothing they could do could destroy the Star."

"Good. Then I have no reason not to go back and fight."

"Then you are ready?"

"Yes. I think I am more ready now than I was when I arrived."

"Then my work here is done. You and my daughter may return to Earth with my blessings. I wish you both luck and hope that you succeed in your mission."

I gave a deep bow, the Star hanging from around my neck.

"Thank you. We will not fail."

Chimitsu-chan stepped close to me, wings wrapping around us as soon as our arms had wrapped around each other. In an instant, the Light Elemental had sent us back on our way home in the same flash of light that had brought us to her castle in space. I instinctively closed my eyes, not wanting to be blinded, and when I opened them again, I found myself with Chimitsu-chan in the grasslands not far from Fatoum.

Slowly, we released each other, and I gazed into her eyes, seeing an expression in them that I could not decipher.

"That is it then?" I asked.

"Yes. Now we must return home and hope that the others are prepared for battle. There's no turning back now. You have the full power of the Star and the Elemental Circle will never be restored so long as Aku and the Dark Elementals live. It's up to you to destroy them and up to me to get you to them safely."

"And it is up to the others to fight to give us a chance to get to Aku's fortress."

She nodded and turned around, walking this time, instead of picking me up and immediately taking flight. I hurried to catch up to her, not wanting to be left behind, even if I did feel that there were quicker ways to get home than this. Chimitsu-chan clearly knew that as well, but she had her reasons for walking instead of flying or teleporting.

We said nothing for some time, traveling in silence as the sun set beyond the horizon and the stars began to shine in the heavens above. I could tell that something was troubling her, but I did not know if I should ask what or if she would even tell me. Finally, she stopped on top of a hill, gazing up at the sky, letting the wind ruffle her hair.

She looked so sad that it began to make me feel melancholy as well.

"Jack?" she asked.

"Hai?"

"What do you think'll become of us after this war's over?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, will we go our separate ways? Will you go back to your home while I return with my sisters back into the Elemental Circle?"

"I do not know, Chimitsu-chan. I do not even know if I _can_ return home."

"But if you can, will you?"

I paused, watching her look up at the stars above. Ever since I had arrived here, all I could think about was destroying Aku and returning home to my family and people in the past. All I had ever wanted was for my life to return to how it was before Aku had come and destroyed everything.

But that was before I had fallen in love with her.

Now that Chimitsu-chan and I had admitted how we felt, I was not entirely certain I wanted to go back home. It was true that my place was not here, but in the past, and I was not certain it was worth losing the one I loved. I did want to see my parents again, to see Edo return to its former glory, and the thought of seeing it alone, without Chimitsu-chan, caused a bitter pain to burn in my chest.

I sighed a little and walked up behind her, wrapping my arms around her under her wings as I rested my chin on her shoulder. She lowered her head as I held her tight, her hands reaching up to rest atop my own. A soft sigh escaped her lips before she turned slightly, rubbing her soft cheek against my own.

"I...I do not know, Chimitsu-chan. For a long time, home was all I could think about. A part of me wants to go back, but a bigger part of me does not want to go if it means leaving you behind. I do not think I can be completely happy if you are not with me." I said softly, nuzzling back.

"But your place isn't here in this future. It's in Edo, in the past, where you came from."

"I know. I know where I belong and it is not here, but I..."

I paused and sighed heavily, holding her even tighter to me.

"Damnit, it does not matter, Chimitsu-chan. I love you. The past will seem so empty if you are not there with me. This future is my home now." I said quietly.

She turned around in my arms and leaned up, lightly pressing her petal-soft lips to my own, her arms wrapping tightly around my neck. I pulled her tightly against myself, kissing back fervently, sensing her desperation. She did not want me to go either, even though we both knew that if I ever could get home, it was where I belonged.

Slowly we broke apart, kissing lightly a few more times before Chimitsu-chan reluctantly withdrew from my arms to sit on the hillside, once more staring up at the stars. I sat down beside her, letting her lean on my shoulder, looking up for the familiar constellations. She sighed a bit, her fingertips lightly trailing up and down my thigh, making me more than a little bit uncomfortable.

"Do you ever dream, Minamoto-chan?" she asked softly.

"Sometimes."

"What do you dream about?"

"Different things."

"What kind of different things?"

"Sometimes I dream of home, of Edo and my family and what might have been if Aku had never escaped my father's seal. Sometimes I dream of what this world would be like without Aku, of what my friends might have seen if they had survived this war. Sometimes I dream of less pleasant things, of Aku, of his evil, of Mad Jack taking my place and things I would rather not speak about. Do you ever dream, Chimitsu-chan?"

"Not as often as I'd like. Mostly about my sisters, about this war with the Dark Elementals and Aku, nothing too pleasant. Sometimes, though, I dream of you, Minamoto-chan."

"Of me? What do you dream of when you dream of me?"

"What do you think?"

She hid her face in my shoulder and I realized what she had meant by the blush that was quite evident on her pale cheeks.

"I see. If I may be so bold..."

I reached down and gently lifted her chin up so I could gaze into her eyes, seeing that her face was completely red.

"I, too, have had dreams like that, dreams of being with you." I said in just barely a whisper.

"I don't believe you."

"I would not lie to you, Chimitsu-chan."

"But...why not say so before?"

"You know how shy I was before we found out how we felt about each other. Do you really think I would have risked completely embarrassing myself by telling you that I have had dreams that forced me into a cold shower once I awoke?"

"No, I don't suppose you would."

I chuckled softly and kissed the tip of her nose, suddenly feeling bold and daring, particularly where she was concerned. I would never have admitted it to her, but I was a bit surprised that I had even said such a thing to her, although I knew I never would have if she had not said it first. Her eyes met mine for a few seconds before she forced herself to look away, unfortunately breaking the mood.

"We should get going. We don't have time to waste like this." she said, finally standing.

"I know."

I stood and took her hand as she held it out to me, pulling her close. She gave me one last fleeting, lover's gaze before she wrapped her wings around us both. In an instant, we dematerialized, making the jump back to Extor's.


	45. Yonjuuyon: Declaration Of War

**Mad Jack**

_smack smack smack_

I hardly waited for the heavy black bag to swing back before my bare knuckles slammed into it again, sending it swinging away from me. My long hair flew wildly about my face as the sweat poured down my bare back, a few strands sticking to my neck, jaw, and cheeks. Since Lord Aku had sensed my original's disappearance from the planet and ordered the rest of us to prepare for battle, I'd done nothing but train.

Much to Ekirei's disappointment, I'd cut our private playtimes out of my schedule in order to bring myself into full fighting form. If Minamoto was doing what we all thought he was, then anything less than my best meant death, if not at Minamoto's hands, then at Lord Aku's. It was going to be a do or die situation whenever he reappeared, a fight to the very bitter end, one in which only one side would come out victorious and there wasn't any way I was going to allow it to be Minamoto's side.

For the moment, my connection to him was cut, as if he'd been killed, although we all knew that was hardly the case. I'd gone to report to Lord Aku the moment I felt the connection sever and he'd apparently felt the samurai disappear at exactly the same time. I remembered how panicked Lord Aku had looked, how he'd struggled to control and hide his emotions, but I still saw in his eyes how deeply Minamoto's sudden disappearance had affected him.

He was afraid. For once in all the times I'd been summoned to an audience before him, he looked genuinely afraid for his life.

Why, I didn't know. He didn't say and I didn't dare ask him or let him know that I knew he was afraid. He would've killed me on the spot for saying such a thing, even though it concerned me to know that something had Lord Aku so frightened. Nothing could touch him besides Minamoto's sword and the Star of the Elements if he ever learned to use it, which he hadn't the last time we checked.

But something still had brought Aku into such a panic that he'd ordered all of us to prepare for battle once the samurai had reappeared.

Over and over again my knuckles slammed into the heavy, sand filled bag, swinging violently on its magic-reinforced chain with every blow. Minamoto had been gone for hours now and the most we could do until he reappeared was wait and be ready for battle the moment he returned. Aku wasn't going to wait for him to learn to use the power of the Star or waste his time with our failed attempts again.

This time, he was going with, to personally make sure that Minamoto and Chimitsu were destroyed.

I sensed her energies a split second before she materialized behind me on the balance beam, but I didn't care. Eki knew she wasn't going to be getting any from me 'till this war was over and usually came just to watch. I knew it made her hot to watch me beat on the punching bag all sweaty with my shirt off, but I refused to let it affect me like it did her.

I focused on my training instead, knowing that if I allowed myself to be distracted like that, it'd be the end of me and that was not an acceptable option for me. I'd sooner see the end of Minamoto and his little angel than be brought down by him because I couldn't control myself. I didn't care what Eki did after watching me, just so long as it didn't interfere with what I had to do to keep myself in top form.

"You've been at it for several hours, MJ. Why don't you take a break?" she finally asked.

"I'll take a break when I want to lose my edge. Shouldn't you be concerned about that as well, Eki?"

"Oh please. I don't have to worry about my fighting edge. Of course, you're the warrior, it's to be expected that you'd rather beat the shit out of that punching bag 'till you drop instead of taking a break. You're not going to be of any use to us exhausted, y'know."

I paused long enough to give her a nasty glare before returning to what I was doing.

"You forget, Eki, that Elementals can't get exhausted. Despite all the sweat, I'm hardly tired and I won't _get_ tired no matter how long I go at this." I said.

"Perhaps against a mortal or a stupid punching bag, but against another immortal Elemental? Even we get tired if we go long enough."

I shook my head and slammed my fist into the punching bag again, about to open my mouth to snap out a retort when I felt it. Immense, raw, unharnessed power racing through my mind so wildly that I instantly dropped to my knees. If I'd been capable of it, I would have felt sick, feeling as if my body was going to be ripped apart from the inside out.

Instantly, Eki was at my side, halting the bag before it slammed into the side of my head. I clenched my jaw tightly, trying to control my breathing and failing miserably, digging my fingers into the wood floor. I'd never felt such a raw power before, feeling as if I'd been hit with the psionic equivalent of a Mack truck.

"MJ, what is it? What's wrong?" Eki asked, sounding a little bit panicked.

I growled softly, panting as it began to fade, leaving me there shaking on my knees and feeling more than a little bit of pain. It tore through me so painfully that I couldn't even answer Eki, struggling to catch my breath. The residual energies felt painful and hot, almost like whenever any of us were struck by Light Elemental magic, only on a much larger scale.

Then, I felt it.

I could feel the connection to Minamoto return and I didn't have to think twice to realize that he had returned from wherever he'd gone. He'd reappeared as suddenly as he'd vanished in the first place, but something felt different this time. There was something different about him that I couldn't place at first.

"MJ...speak to me..." Eki said.

"He's back..."

She was clearly startled, straightening a bit before kneeling down next to me, one hand resting on my shoulder. I swatted it away and took in deep breaths, feeling the white-hot pain diminish by the second, trying to clear my thoughts so I could think straight. I wouldn't have admitted it to Ekirei or anyone else, but that had hurt like hell, burning its way along the connection to Minamoto and into the depths of my very mind.

"Who's back?" Eki asked.

"Minamoto...I felt it just now. He's back on the planet."

"Are you all right?"

"Does it look like I'm all right! I feel like I've just been hit with a fucking Mack truck! Of course I'm not all right!"

I saw her flinch before she reached up and brushed my hair out of my face over my shoulders. I didn't push her hands away this time, furrowing my brows as I tried to figure out why the hell I'd been hit like that at the very same time Minamoto had returned. Nothing could've blocked our connection and I knew that he didn't have the power to psionically burn me like that.

"What do you think caused it?" she asked.

"I don't _know_, Eki. Minamoto doesn't have that kind of power to block the connection and burn my mind like that. I don't think it was him. It was something else connected to him that did it. It's so strange...he feels so different, stronger somehow. I don't understand how he could become so strong so quickly."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that you felt it the other night, too, when he and Chimitsu were together. I could feel everything Minamoto was doing and experiencing and you felt the same for Chimitsu. He was so weak then, so normal and mortal. His defenses were down in his moment of sexual excitement and I could feel everything he normally kept so well guarded in his mind. He felt so mortally vulnerable that I'd wondered how the hell he kept getting the upper hand, how he kept surviving when we were certain he'd bitten the big one."

"So what feels so different now?"

"He feels stronger, full of power and energy. He's shining so brightly with it that it's almost painful for me to try and seek him out over our connection. Something's happened to him while he was gone, Eki."

"I'm going to find Aku-sama. He needs to know about this if he doesn't know already." she said.

"No! Let me get myself together first. I'll make the report myself."

"MJ, you're in no condition..."

"Enough! I'll be fine, Eki."

I caught the look she shot me a second before I closed my eyes, trying to regain my composure. I wasn't shaking anymore, but I wasn't at my best like I had been a moment before the energy had hit me, either. It was going to take a few moments before I was presentable for Lord Aku and we both knew it.

We both felt the energies at the same time and I inwardly groaned, hating the demon's uncanny ability to show up at the worst possible time. Oh, how I hated him for showing up when I wasn't in the best of appearances, for catching me so vulnerable and with my defenses still very shaky. No doubt, he'd done it on purpose, just to irk me.

"Aku-sama..." Eki said with a bow.

"Lord Aku..." I said, still on my knees, not looking up to meet his gaze.

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence before I felt his all-knowing gaze penetrate through my bare, sweaty back. There wasn't any doubt in my mind that he knew what had just happened, but whether or not he knew what had caused it was an entirely different matter. Oh, how I hated him for this, though, catching me so vulnerable and weak before him.

"I just felt a very unusual energy surge a few minutes ago. I do not suppose either of you could tell me what it was, hmm?" he asked.

"Minamoto. He's back. I felt it seconds after the energy spike, my lord."

"Indeed the samurai returns, but he returns stronger. What did you feel when the surge hit you?"

"Pain, my lord. Like a white hot fire burning my mind. I didn't feel his return until after it had passed."

"And do you know why?"

"No, my lord, I do not."

He was enjoying this! He was enjoying seeing me so weakened and taken by surprise. He was even enjoying toying with me, asking questions to which he'd already had an answer to.

Thankfully, Ekirei knew when to keep her mouth shut and didn't say a word after her customary greeting, staying on her knees beside me.

"Of course you wouldn't. Neither of you have felt this power before, but I have. Oh yes, I know exactly what this change in the samurai means." he said.

"What does it mean, my lord?"

"It means that he has activated the full power of the Star of the Elements and knows now how to use the power that has been awakened within him. That is why it burned you so when he returned from the Light Elemental's castle."

"She would dare to interfere?"

"Of course she would! She would dare if it meant that her goal was obtained and not ours. She wants to see us crushed and order restored, but not this time. We are going to see to it that her rule is destroyed once and for all instead of the other way around."

"Then, if she's interfered, we're out of time, are we not?"

"Unfortunately yes. He is still not completely used to this power within him and the enormity of what he commands. If we strike now, before he learns how to fully control it, we will be able to crush him in his tracks before he becomes a threat."

Ekirei and I didn't have to think very hard to know exactly what Lord Aku was saying. Minamoto was making his way back home as we spoke and no doubt, he'd already told his little troop of friends to prepare for war by the time he and Chimitsu returned. It was time to gather up the other Dark Elementals and the minions and go out to meet them for the last time.

"I will go and assemble the minions immediately, my lord." I said with a bow.

"I want them ready in exactly a half an hour."

Without another word, he curled up into a swirl and disappeared, leaving me alone with Ekirei. I pulled myself to my feet and sighed, hating to be humiliated like that before him, but it was better to be humiliated than to be sent into the Pit, especially at a time like this. We didn't have much time left now, not at all.

"Are you all right now, MJ?" she asked.

"I'll be fine."

I turned to her and reached up to pluck a black feather from her shoulder, tucking it back into her long braid.

"You go get the girls together. I'm going to take a quick shower and then I'll go get the minions rounded up for battle. If Lord Aku starts getting antsy, just tell him it won't take me long. He'll have his troops by the time his half hour is up." I said, leaning forward to give her a kiss.

Eki barely had time to respond before I pulled away and turned, walking towards the bathroom. I magically started the shower while rummaging in the closet for a towel, sensing Ekirei's energies surge and disappear in a teleport that no doubt left a showering of feathers on my floor. She wasn't entirely annoyed with me, but she was pouting at the fact that I hadn't taken more time with that kiss.

I stepped into the shower and washed off as quickly as I could, not wanting to waste too much time when I knew I'd just be getting sweaty in battle all over again. I felt almost anxious at the thought of knowing that by the time the day was out, Minamoto and his little angel would both be little more than a memory. That thought reignited the bloodlust in my veins that had faded when Minamoto's power surge had hit me earlier.

He was going to pay for burning me like that, him and his little angel.

Stepping out of the shower again, I didn't even bother with the towel, using magic to dry myself and dress before teleporting to the minion levels. I was almost mildly surprised to see them all waiting for me, all in full uniform and each armed to the teeth. A pleasant surprise, nonetheless, especially for stupid minions that Lord Aku kept in his employ.

Slowly, one of them approached me, a paper in its hand. I took it and hardly watched as it scurried away back into formation, no doubt terrified of me and the power I held. I unfolded the paper, reading the kanji scrawled across it, finding it to be orders directly from Lord Aku.

I'd been expecting to lead these runts out to battle myself, but it seemed that Lord Aku had other plans instead. Actually, I liked his plan a lot better than going out and wasting my energies so quickly. Minions were better cannon fodder and so were the robot destroyer droids that Aku had conjured in the time I'd been in the shower.

I held up the paper, teleported it away, and began to address the minions.

"The time has come, dark ones, to see to the destruction of the last Light Elemental, Chimitsu, and my original, Jack Minamoto. He has given me orders to augment your powers and send you with the destroyer droids out as the first wave to meet their troops. There's over a million of you each and only a thousand of them without Jack and Chimitsu. It shouldn't be difficult for you to destroy them all." I said.

I didn't even wait for any reaction from them, snapping out my hands and augmenting their fighting abilities. I didn't understand why Lord Aku saw fit to waste my energies and his time like this, but I wasn't about to question his reasons. If he wanted me to do something, then I had no choice but to do it, even if I thought that such orders were futile.

Once the power increase had been completed, I was greeted with a bow before they left, heading out into the vast plains to meet up with Minamoto and his little rebellion. No doubt, Jack and Chimitsu would be the most difficult, but the rest were of little concern to any of us. They'd no doubt fall easily to the minions and droids and it'd be a miracle if any of them survived the fight.

Without any further reason to remain on the minion level, I gathered my energies and made the jump to Lord Aku's audience chamber. The other four were already waiting, with Fuki at her customary spot near Aku himself as his favorite bedmate. Aku was in his Elemental form and I knew that could only mean one thing.

He alone was going to battle Minamoto to the death, despite how much I'd been wanting that particular honor.

I greeted him with a bow as always, curious as to why he had changed his mind and not sent me out with the minions. I knew that we'd been expected to fight, but I had thought that we'd be out on the field with the others. It didn't quite make sense why he was having us stay behind and why he had taken his Elemental form instead of the usual one.

"My lord...why is it that you have asked us to stay behind? I thought we were all going out together to fight." I said.

"That was the original plan, yes, but plans change. There's no use in wasting your energies so soon with the samurai. Let him come to us here in my castle. He will be tired after fighting his way through the minions and will be no match for us. One by one he will face us and if he manages to make it all the way through you...he will face me."

"Very well, my lord. Your word is law, after all."

I bowed again and stood off to the side with the ladies, daring to sneak an arm around Eki's waist, protocols be damned. I didn't care if Aku or the others saw it. I wanted it to be explicitly clear whom would be sleeping with her after this war was over.

"Hideri, I want you to be the first on the lower level. Netami, you follow her, then Fuki, then Ekirei, and lastly, Mad Jack. Be warned that you will not be resurrected if you fail. I have had enough failures over these last few months and I do not need any more. We are going to crush the white samurai now or we will die trying." he said.

We bowed in the usual salute, knowing that the time for playing games was over. I watched as the others left to station themselves on their levels, hanging behind a bit. I didn't like the idea of us working separately when Minamoto had a team with Chimitsu, not one bit.

"Is something bothering you, dark one?" Lord Aku asked, walking up to stand beside me.

"Somewhat, yes, my lord."

"Nervous, are we?"

"Iie, never. But I am thinking as to whether or not this is the best course of action in this matter."

"Ohh? You dare to question me?"

"Of course not, my lord, but you must understand that I know exactly how the samurai thinks. Couple that with the knowledge of the Metal Elemental, the warrior, and, well, you know that I am going to be concerned."

"What could possibly concern you that you would dare to even hint at questioning my orders?"

"That we are splitting up. We are splitting up while Minamoto and his bitch are working together as a team. We know that the minions and their thousand troops are little more than a distraction. It is clear to all of us, especially me, that Chimitsu and Minamoto are intending on going on ahead while they hold off the minions."

"So what is there to worry about?"

"I fear that alone, we are no match for the two of them together. Even you, my lord."

I could feel the tension ripple through the air, coupled with his anger. He was pissed that I'd stated such a thing, but I wasn't going to go off without warning him that his choice of plans could be disastrous for us. It was, after all, my duty as the War Elemental.

"Get out of my sight and get to your post." he hissed through his teeth.

"As you wish, my lord."

I gave him a bow and turned around, heading down through the many corridors to the level just below this one. I could sense Minamoto and his little group drawing near and knew that it would be only a matter of time before they fought their way up to me. A part of me hoped that they would be destroyed before they reached me and another part hoped that I'd be able to see their destruction myself.

Yet another part of me felt as if Lord Aku was sacrificing us in his defence and that same part of me felt as if it would serve him right if Minamoto destroyed him as a result.

Shaking off the musing thoughts that'd sprung to my head, I positioned myself facing the door Minamoto and Chimitsu would have to come through to get to me and thus Lord Aku as well. Of course I wasn't going to go down without any kind of a fight, but I was hoping that I wouldn't go down at all. Anything to see the destruction of my original and his little angel woman.

_Come on, futago...I'm waiting for you..._


	46. Yonjuugo: The Beginning Of The End

No sooner had we reappeared at Extor's than we were greeted by Rothie and the Wildman. Chimitsu reluctantly let me go and I headed on down the corridor with the others at my side. We were out of time for preparation and I had to pray that they were ready for war.

"Is everybody ready?" I asked, hurrying down the hall as fast as I could.

"Yes. We've got everyone together and armed, though I must admit, not as well armed as we'd like." Rothie said.

"What have we got?"

"We only have a few artillery cannons ready to go. Everyone else is armed with whatever they could find. Swords, bows and arrows, rifles, anything they could use. Are you absolutely certain about this, my boy?"

"We have no choice. They know I have returned and they know I have the Star's full power within me. I can feel them heading this way as we speak, over a million droids and minions. Aku is running scared now that he knows that I know how to use the Star of the Elements. He has ordered every minion and droid that he can spare out into battle against us in hopes that they will do the job for him. What I must ask you, Rothie, is whether or not you are all ready to possibly lay down your lives for this."

"We're ready, as ready now as we'll ever be. Those of us who are here have accepted the risks or we wouldn't be here. All of us owes you and Chimitsu something in one way or another. It's the least we can do for the two of you who have done so much for us."

I did not like the idea of losing more friends to Aku and his Dark Elementals, but it was a risk that we were going to have to take no matter when we decided to fight them. Personally, I would rather face them now and risk losing everything now than try to face them later and risk losing our allies one by one. Aku and I had been playing cat and mouse for much too long now and it was clear that we were both tired of it.

We were going to fight to the death, every last one of us, and only one would come out victorious. The only question was, which one of us was it going to be? Would it be Aku and his Dark Elementals, or would it be me? The very balance of order rested upon the outcome of that question.

There was only one answer to the question for me and it was not ending in Aku's victory.

I pushed open the doors at the end of the corridor and stepped into the docking bay cloaked in the side of a mountain. It was the only place that I knew of that Extor could be shielded from Aku's all-knowing gaze and still have a large enough opening to drive vehicles from. Everyone had gathered there, some piloting what looked like large metal turtles, and all of them were armed.

"Is everybody ready?" I asked without waiting for greetings.

Everyone nodded their affirmatives and I sighed a little. This was it. The moment we stepped out of this docking bay, there would be no turning back for any of us. We would defeat Aku today or we would be destroyed.

Chimitsu teleported her nodachi into place on her back between her wings, her gown melting away into a more combat-suitable outfit of green and white. It looked similar to what I knew ninjas to wear in the past, but not quite the same. The gi top and pants were of the same style, but her shoes were quite different, no doubt to be able to handle the rocky terrain.

"If everybody is ready, then let us head out. Aku is not going to waste any time in going to war and neither should we." I said.

Without another word, everyone began filing out of the large doorway and down the mountain. I stood there, watching them go with Chimitsu at my side, feeling a bit sad and anxious instead of determined as I thought I would be. I knew that a number of them would not be returning and that thought burned like a bitter sting in my chest.

"Minamoto-chan..." Chimitsu said.

I turned towards her, seeing the same expression in her emerald eyes as I felt in my chest. The thought of further loss hurt her as much as it was hurting me. We both knew that the others were going to fight to hold off the minions and droids while Chimitsu and I made our way through to fight Aku and the Dark Elementals.

She looked so pained at the thought of everyone's sacrifices that I could hardly stand it. I swiftly pulled her into my arms, holding her tightly against me, feeling her arms wrap firmly around my ribcage. Despite her obvious concern for everyone else, I could sense that that alone was not what was upsetting her.

"What is it?" I asked softly.

"I know it's selfish of me to say this when others are going to lay down their lives today and leave their loved ones behind, but I can't help it. I don't want to lose you out there when you're all I have left."

"It is all right to feel this way, Chimitsu-chan. I know that everyone feels this way. They do not want to leave their loved ones behind, either. I do not want to lose you or leave you alone in this world to suffer at the hands of Aku any more than you want to lose me. It is not selfish. It is hope, Chimitsu-chan, and hope will drive us through to the end."

"Then...I hope we make it out of this together."

She looked up at me, her eyes shimmering with tears. I reached up and brushed them away before leaning down to kiss her, softly at first, then deeper and more fervently. I held her tightly against myself, determined not to lose her today or any other day, not now, not ever.

Slowly, I pulled myself away, holding her so closely that my lips lightly brushed her ear.

"We will, Chimitsu-chan...I promise you that." I said.

Reluctantly, we drew apart and hurried out of the docking bay to take lead of the others, heading westward. Everyone was silent, few speaking as they marched down the mountain and into the plains. Off in the distance, we could see a dark wave moving swiftly over the hills, hurrying in our direction.

I could feel the tension ripple over the group with us as the realization hit us all at once. Those were Aku's troops, sent out to meet us as the first wave of the war. Chimitsu and I would fight our way through them and leave the others behind to battle the first wave while we took care of the rest.

I did not like it, but we did not have any choice.

Closer and closer we came to them, both side charging towards a collision course that would determine the fate of the planet and the very universe itself. I drew my katana as they closed in, hearing the whine of various blasters and energy cannons charging up. Beside me, Chimitsu-chan withdrew her nodachi from her back, holding it with both hands before herself.

We did not hesitate to rush in as our armies collided, Chimitsu rushing headlong into the minions and droids with her nodachi brandished, taking down anything in her way. I did not stare after for long, doing the same with my katana, barrelling my way through the minions and destroyers. They were the only thing standing between us and Aku's fortress, which lay just ahead with a ghostly image of Aku looming overhead, daring us to come and fight him.

Oil and robot parts flew all about amongst sparks and artillery explosions, taking out numbers of droids and minions, but hardly making a dent in the overall numbers. I pressed on, refusing to allow myself to tire, my only goal being to make it through these droids and minions. I had lost sight of Chimitsu, but I knew that she had to be all right on her own, knowing that she had proven herself repeatedly as a capable warrior.

Slicing a droid and then a minion in half and three pieces respectively, I broke through the rear of the battalion, noting that none turned to dispatch me. Clearly, they knew that Chimitsu and I were neither one to be harmed, but rather allowed to continue into the depths of the fortress. I turned and looked at all the pieces littering the ground amongst the carnage I had left behind.

I looked around for Chimitsu, trying to spot her amongst all the fighting, not wanting to continue on without her. I watched for some time, but could not see any sign of her. My heart pounded wildly in my chest as I began to realize that she might have fallen in all the chaos, perhaps in the explosion of an artillery shell or amongst the blaster fire.

We had fought this far together, only to have her be amongst the first to fall in the early waves of the fight.

I shut my eyes tightly, hands squeezing around the handle of my katana until my knuckles had turned white, not wanting to believe that she was gone. The frustration of having known that she was gone was more than I could bear and I raised my katana high overhead with a roar, slamming it down hard into the ground as I fell to my knees.

Every time I thought I had a chance, that this time would be different from the last, Aku found a way to prove me wrong. He always managed to find a way to take those I loved most away from me. My family, my dearest friends, and now my first and only love.

I knelt there for a little while, not wanting to move on and fight my way into Aku's fortress. Not without her, although it was seeming more and more likely that I was going to have to press on without her. The others would not be able to keep it up forever, not with the limited resources we had, and that meant that I could not waste time mourning Chimitsu.

Suddenly, I heard a loud battle cry coming from a familiar feminine voice over towards the edge of the battlefield. Slowly, I raised my head, hoping beyond hope that I was not hearing things that were not there. It would crush me to my very soul to think that she would not be there.

Much to my delight, however, I saw her standing there, battling two minions while a droid came up behind her. There was no time for me to warn her or say anything, but somehow, I knew that she knew it was there. Indeed, she swung around, cutting the droid in half before sending the minions aside with a blast of wind as she took flight.

She soared high above the battlefield before sheathing her nodachi on her back and finishing off the minions with a blast of green energy, vaporizing them instantly. I watched as she flew over, landing gracefully as she folded her wings against her back. Flicking a stray strand of blonde hair out of her face, she looked down at me with a smile.

"You don't plan to kneel there prayin' to the gods all day now, are you, Minamoto-chan?" she said teasingly.

"I thought you were dead, Chimitsu-chan. I did not see you at all when I made my way out and I thought I had lost you in there."

"Lost me? Oh hell no, not to some sleazy minions. Just a lot of chaos to fight through without hitting anyone on our side. Now, you gonna kneel there or you gonna come with me and kick some Dark Elemental ass?"

I smiled slowly and pulled myself up off the ground, tugging my katana out of the dirt as I felt the Star of the Elements grow warm against my chest beneath my kimono. I wiped the dirt from the blade before resheathing it, glad to be back on track again and feeling quite foolish for thinking that mere minions could have harmed Chimitsu-chan. I was so close to my goal now that I could almost taste it, feeling as if I really would succeed this time and everything would be as it was back when I had been a child, that I would see my family once again after so many years.

Chimitsu-chan began to head towards Aku's fortress, but I hesitated, turning back to see how the others were doing against the droids and minions. I could not see it very well, but it was not looking good. I could see droids and minions flying all over every few seconds, but I could not see our allies and how they were faring.

It was not something I liked to feel, this uncertainty as to how things were going to turn out when I was not there to help. I did not like leaving them alone to fight without me, even if it was what we had planned all along and had no choice but to follow it through. It was not like a samurai to leave his allies behind to fight in his place while he went on ahead of them.

I began to head back to the battle, intending on helping the others destroy that first wave before heading in to fight Aku so that they could survive while Chimitsu and I fought alone.

_Don't ye dare go 'n turn your back on the plan now, laddie..._

I froze and pressed a hand to my head, hearing that warm, familiar voice, even though I knew it was impossible. He had been dead for a couple of weeks now, before we had even fully orchestrated this battle. Slowly, I turned, knowing that there was no possible way he could have survived and be speaking to me now.

Yet, when I had fully turned around, I saw him standing there, a ghost between myself and Chimitsu-chan. It was indeed Duncan that I had heard, even though I knew that he had been dead for some time now. The look on his face was firm, yet still somehow jovial.

"Duncan...I cannot just leave them there...they will be killed!" I cried.

_Don't be foolish, lad. You know as well as they do what ye must do._

I looked at him, then turned slightly back towards the battle, torn between helping my friends and doing what I knew I had to do.

_They're all willing to lay down their lives, not just for you, but t'see that demon destroyed in his own lair. Ye know that I'd do the same if I could be there myself with you. Don't let us die in vain by wastin' your time with those minions. Your job lies ahead of ye in that castle...now go before more time is lost!_

I turned back around and looked at him, our eyes meeting for the briefest of seconds and I nodded, seeing his spectral form smile. He returned the nod before slowly fading away, leaving me staring at a confused Chimitsu. She had apparently not seen what I had, nor heard Duncan's voice.

"What is it, Minamoto-chan?" she asked.

"Nothing...just an old friend giving me some encouragement."

She gave me a somewhat curious look before nodding slightly.

"All right, then. Let's get this over with."

Without another word spoken between us, we headed on up the mountainside to the entrance of Aku's fortress. I knew that he would be waiting within, but so were the Dark Elementals. No doubt, we would be facing them first before dealing with Aku, most likely because the demon wanted to wear us down a bit so he would have an easier time with us.

I narrowed my eyes as we stepped into the dark entry way, looking around carefully in search of booby traps or an ambush attack. Yet, nothing came rushing out of the darkness towards us. Cautiously, we made our way into the bowels of the fortress, heading down a dark, forboding corridor in search of the first of the Dark Elementals.

The only question was...which one would it be?

"Nice place Aku's got here, eh, Minamoto-chan?" Chimitsu asked.

"I think I prefer my father's castle better."

"True. Wonder who his decorator is. Lucifer? Heh. All that's missing is the blazing fires and the little imps with the pitchforks stabbing you in the butt..."

I gave her a look, hardly amused. This was not the time to be making jokes about anything of the sort. We were here for only one thing and that was to destroy the Dark Elementals and Aku, not entertain them.

"Right. Heh. Sorry. Just couldn't help it. It's so gloomy in here that I figured a joke would lighten things up a little for us." she said.

"I appreciate your efforts, Chimitsu-chan, but we must focus on our job and not lose sight of that."

"Yeah. Guess you're right. C'mon...they should be just beyond that door ahead of us."

I looked towards where she was pointing, seeing another doorway opening up into another room just ahead of us. I gave her a nod before walking on down with one hand resting on my katana, ready to draw it the moment I felt any danger. We stopped, standing on either side of the door, cautiously peeking in around the corners before heading on in.

It was empty and devoid of almost all light, without any sign of the first of the Dark Elementals. I furrowed my brow, knowing that Chimitsu could feel the presence of a Dark Elemental and in all honesty, I could feel it, too. She was either in the room with us or very close to it. I kept my hand on the handle of my katana, ready to strike the moment she launched any sort of surprise attack and could see that Chimitsu had a hand on her nodachi, ready as well.

"Welcome to Hell, samurai..."


	47. Yonjuuroku: Reduced To Skin And Bones

"Welcome to Hell, samurai..."

Chimitsu-chan and I came to a halt upon hearing the voice, looking around for the source. We knew that it was not Mad Jack or Ekirei, which meant it had to be one of the other three. It was so dark that we could hardly see which one was here and where she was hiding.

Suddenly, the lights flared up, illuminating the room and the first of the Dark Elementals. She stood, perched on a rock with her tattered cloak wrapped around her thin, bony body, head bowed like an old woman. Slowly, she raised her head, her sunken eyes meeting mine and Chimitsu's.

It was Hideri, the Famine Elemental, who had come to greet us.

"Hideri. Haven't seen you since you starved the Woolies half to death. Is this what you've been doing all this time? Waiting for us?" Chimitsu asked.

"Hardly. Take a look around the globe, angelic one, and see what I've been doing all this time."

A pale blue orb hovered down, glowing with images of drought and starvation around the world. Crops dying, people withering away, lands turning to dust and blowing away on the winds. Hideri smiled nastily before dissolving the orb and standing, slipping down from her perch.

"Beautiful, isn't it? Their lifeforces slip away slowly, drop by drop, day by day, until they turn into empty shells, no longer useful to Lord Aku." she said.

"That's horrendous. Those people suffer for your sick, twisted amusement when you can just as easily alleviate that suffering."

"Now why would I want to do that?"

In a flash, she fired off a sickly yellow orb, forcing Chimitsu and I to dive for cover. I rolled out of the way and came to a stop near a stone pillar, watching the orb sail through the air until it collided with another stone structure. There were a few moments of silence before the pillar weakened, cracked, and fell to the floor, shattering in a million pieces.

"Ohh, you're quick, but are you quick enough?" she asked, firing off more sickly looking orbs in rapid succession.

I did not get a chance to see where Chimitsu went, diving out of the way as the orbs sailed through the air, colliding with stone pillars and walls. I sprang about, doing my best to avoid them although I tired of dodging about instead of getting closer to her. Only trouble was, she was firing the orbs off too quickly for either of us to get close enough to strike.

I ducked behind a large boulder, peeking out on occasion to see if Chimitsu was having any luck. I knew that those orbs could not affect her like they could me, but it seemed that she, too, was pinned down behind some rocks on the other side of the room. Hideri momentarily stopped, firing one off whenever either of us dared to poke our heads up and think about making an attack.

"You two can't hide forever. Sooner or later you're gonna have to come out and fight me." she said tauntingly.

Furrowing my brows, I knew she was right, but how were we going to get close to her? Chimitsu would be at a stalemate with her, both unable to harm each other because of Elemental Law. I was the only one who could hurt her, but if neither of us could get close, then we were stuck.

I looked down at the Star dangling around my neck, trying to think of what we could do to get in close enough to strike. It was not time to harness the full power of the Star in this battle and I was not entirely sure it would do much good just yet anyhow. That left only one other option for me and it had yet to fail me in all my months of being trapped in this future.

In a flash, I drew my katana and leapt out from behind the rock I had taken cover behind, drawing Hideri's attention. She quickly fired off the orbs again in my direction and I held my katana in front of myself in a defensive position, watching each orb carefully. Over and over again, my blade struck the orbs, dissolving them instantly into harmless smoke.

Hideri continued to fire for a little while before stopping and taking a step back, although she hardly looked ready to retreat.

"Well well, I must say I am quite impressed. You're quite skilled with that sword, young samurai. I don't stand a chance, now, do I?" she asked.

"In the end? No."

"Then I suppose I'd better surrender, hmm?"

"No. There is no surrendering this time."

"I see. Very well, then."

She fired an orb off to the side, bouncing it off the wall and sending it ricocheting behing me. I began to turn, but without knowing where it was headed, I was not entirely certain I could block it in time. In all honesty, I really did not want to find out what would happen if she managed to hit me with one of those orbs.

_pang!_

Hideri's triumphant expression melted away into frustration and I glanced over my shoulder to see Chimitsu standing there, blocking the orb with her nodachi before it could hit me. I smiled and turned back to Hideri, advancing with my katana in my hand, ready to strike. She backed up, clearly afraid now that she could not strike us down with the orbs.

"It is over, Hideri. It is time to pay for the suffering you have caused, not just for the Woolies, but around the world. Have you prepared yourself?" I asked.

"That depends, samurai. Are you prepared for what lies ahead?"

"I have been prepared for a long time now. I am willing to die for this, but I do not think you are ready for such a sacrifice."

I approached her carefully, watching her eyes, seeing the fear and desperate cunning within their sunken depths. She backed up until she walked into a wall, trapped between the orange stone and myself. I closed in, raising my katana to strike her down and move onto the next level.

Suddenly, I felt myself flying through the air until I landed on my back, my katana clattering on the ground beside me. I gasped and sucked in air, stunned from the impact that forced the air out of my lungs. I weakly rolled onto my side, trying to get to my feet before she struck me down, but the blow never came.

Looking up, I saw Chimitsu standing there, her nodachi's point at Hideri's neck, kept pushed back by an invisible barrier just a hair's breadth away from the Dark Elemental's neck. We all knew that Chimitsu could no more harm Hideri than Hideri could do harm to Chimitsu, but that did not seem to stop Chimitsu from attacking her. Hideri seemed unconcerned by me, having already struck me down with an orb in the brief moment I had lowered my guard like a fool.

"I might not be able to hurt you, but that doesn't mean that I'm not gonna hold you here 'till he recovers to do the job himself." she snarled.

"Who says he's gonna recover? That orb I struck him with should be taking effect any moment now and I know you can't heal anything but injuries. You won't be able to do a thing to help him. He's gonna die nice and slow, just like those people I showed you in the viewing orb. Soon he'll be nothing but a walking skeleton and then I'll let Lord Aku take care of him for me."

No sooner had she said this than I began to feel hungry. I knew that was impossible, because I remembered eating earlier in the day and was used to going for long periods between meals. I should not have been so hungry just yet, not by a long shot.

However, that was the whole power behind the orb she had shot me with. She was rapidly inducing starvation, making me hungry and weak, draining the very life from me. I soon felt sick inside, wanting to get up onto my feet and strike her down while Chimitsu-chan had her pinned, but could not seem to find the strength to do so. I pulled myself to my feet with my katana in hand, only to fall to my knees again, my stomach growling in protest, begging me to retreat and find something to eat.

"You're starving him! Recant the spell! Now!" Chimitsu snapped.

"I'm sorry, dear angel, but I can't. If you want to break that spell, you're just going to have to kill me."

I could see the frustration in Chimitsu's eyes, knowing that she could not strike Hideri down and knowing that I was gradually weakening beyond the point of being able to fight. I struggled to pull myself back up to my feet so I could strike her down, not wanting to be a weak heap of skin and bones by the time Aku came for me. Yet the moment I got to my feet, my vision began to swim violently, sending me back down onto my knees, my katana slipping from my hands and clattering to the ground.

"Minamoto-chan! Shikkarishite!"1 she cried.

I once again forced myself up to my feet, leaning on my blade, but knew that the moment I lifted it, I would fall back to my knees. I simply did not have the energy to fight this hungry feeling long enough to fight. I needed food and water and I needed it soon if I wanted to have a chance to be of any use here.

"Damnit, Jack, don't you dare give up on me! You're the only one who can hurt her! You know I can't strike her down and I definitely can't do this alone! Snap out of it and pick up that katana and get her!"

I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment and then lifted my katana, feeling my head spin, but refusing to allow my legs to give out beneath me. I took a step towards them, lifting my katana behind myself to strike, willing myself to stay on my feet. Hideri's eyes registered a bit of shock, while Chimitsu's eyes shimmered with pride as they watched me move towards them.

"Most impressive, Chimitsu. You're able to encourage him onward through my spell, but words alone won't win this battle." she said, staring Chimitsu in the eyes.

Unafraid of Chimitsu's nodachi, she held up her hand in my direction, creating a banquet table loaded with all sorts of delectable goodies between myself and the two of them. Immediately, I halted, my stomach once again growling as the sights and smells invaded my senses. My tired arms slowly lowered and with them went my katana as I was torn between attacking Hideri and eating this meal laid out before me.

I barely acknowledged the furious look on Chimitsu's face as she shoved Hideri back up against the wall. She looked quickly in my direction before back to the Dark Elemental, who now wore a nasty grin on her gaunt features. If I had even but one bite, I would be able to fight again. It all looked so good that I was not entirely certain I could resist such a temptation.

"Go ahead, white samurai. Eat. The feast is there for you to have, so there's no need to waste it, right?" Hideri said, staring Chimitsu straight in the eyes again.

Suddenly, I no longer wanted to fight, my stomach aching savagely for food, food that was right there in front of me. She had created this delectable meal just for me, to ease my suffering and make me feel better. It would be dishonorable for me to let her generous meal go to waste and I could not allow that.

Slowly, I took my chopsticks from the sleeve of my kimono and began to reach for a roll of sushi. It had been so very long since I had last eaten sushi that I had almost forgotten what it tasted like. My mouth watered at the thought of enjoying a bite of hamachi2 or perhaps some tako3. Even some unagi4 would have been heavenly.

Before I could reach the sushi trays, Chimitsu threw out her hand and fired a green orb into my chest, knocking me firmly onto my rump. I landed hard, dropping both my katana and my chopsticks with a clatter on the floor. I looked up at her with a sharp glare, wondering why she had gone and done such a thing.

Hideri looked quite angry as well, almost pouty.

"Chimitsu-chan, why on earth did you do that? Do you not want me to have enough strength to fight?" I asked.

"Yes, but not that way. She's laced those treats with poison or perhaps a tranquilizer to make you sleep until Aku comes for you and what do you think will happen after that, hmm?"

"Aku...?"

"Yes, Minamoto-chan, remember him? Tall, dark haired, usually shapeshifted into the form of a demon? The guy who wants you dead?"

"I will be dead before he gets to me if I do not eat."

"Is all that food really worth it to you? Is one bite of sushi worth the lives of millions of people around the world, believing that you'll be the one to free them? Is it worth more than the life of the woman you love?"

Slowly, I pulled myself up onto my feet, using my katana for balance as I stood before the table. I looked at the feast set out before me, then to Chimitsu where she was keeping Hideri trapped up against the wall. I loved Chimitsu-chan with all my heart, but I also wanted to eat, especially when the feast involved sushi.

But was it all worth it like Chimitsu had said? Was it worth the price I would have to pay to enjoy this feast? I looked to Chimitsu, then to Hideri, and then back to the feast laid out on the table before me.

And then...I made my decision.

With a sudden burst of strength, I raised my katana above my head and sliced down through the table and the feast that sat atop it, smashing it to the ground. Hideri's eyes widened in shock as I pushed the broken halves aside and strode in her direction with determination welling up in my heart. Chimitsu backed away, keeping her nodachi aimed at Hideri as I approached.

"That's...that's impossible!" she cried.

"Not impossible. I simply found something worth more to me than a mere meal. You see, Hideri, I am quite used to going for days without food and I would sooner starve...than have the lives of the innocents of this planet rest forever upon my soul because I chose a meal over their freedom."

"You should still be feeling weak and hungry! How'd you find such strength!"

"Oh, I feel your spell working on me, but my strength does not come from the suffering of others. My strength comes from those who believe in me and trust me to end Aku's tyranny and that is worth more to me than any meal ever will be."

Hideri straightened and Chimitsu-chan backed away, her nodachi ready to strike if the Dark Elemental tried to attack again. I held my katana ready, muscles tensing as I waited for the inevitable attack from Hideri. She moved away from Chimitsu and the wall, trying to circle me to attack from behind, but I turned, circling with her, keeping an eye on her at all times.

Chimitsu kept to the side with her nodachi ready in both hands, but did not otherwise interfere, knowing that the most she could do was to keep Hideri at bay, not strike her down. Hideri knew this as well as we did and did not fear her as much as she clearly feared me, especially now that I seemed to have overcome her spell for the moment. If only I could keep it up awhile longer, I would be able to overtake her and we would be rid of one Dark Elemental.

And with Hideri's death, Chame would be free to be reborn.

Hideri took a few steps back, almost appearing to retreat, but I knew that Aku would not allow such a thing. If she retreated, she would simply meet her end at Aku's hands instead of my own. I sensed that she was not going to run, but, rather, try and fight me herself to the finish, futile or foolish as it may be.

In a flash, she sprang at me with her hands outstretched, a larger orb forming within her palms. I knew that if she hit me with an orb that large, especially after taking one of the smaller ones earlier, it would kill me instantly. I could only do one thing now.

I sprang at her, the two of us seemingly on a collision course, Hideri with her magical orb and me with my enchanted katana. Time seemed to slow down for a brief moment as we flew through the air towards each other, each ready to strike the other down. I pulled my katana back as we closed in on each other and finally, I brought it down.

As soon as my blade had followed through, I landed on my feet on the other side with my katana outstretched in my left hand. For a few agonizing seconds, I was not entirely certain if I had struck her or if we had somehow managed to miss each other. Nobody moved, nobody breathed, and I realized that I had not heard the sound that usually accompanied an orb striking the walls or some sort of rock fixture in the room.

Slowly, I rose and turned, ready for another attack, only it never came. I saw Chimitsu standing there, nodachi sheathed upon her back between her wings, a look of finality written in her eyes. Hideri had landed as well, but I could see that she had not landed in one piece as I had.

Instead, two halves of her lay bloodlessly on the ground, a look of utter shock and disbelief on her dead features. A second later, she turned to dust and blew away on the wind much like the dead crops she had infected around the world with her spell of starvation. I quietly sheathed my katana and stared at the very spot where she had vanished, knowing that one was down, but there were four more to go before we reached Aku.

"It's done then. We've defeated the first one, now to find the next one and work our way up through this tower." Chimitsu said.

"Yes. Three more to go...and then Aku."

Chimitsu gave a slight nod and then turned around, heading towards another doorway that led into another corridor that would lead us deeper within Aku's fortress. I followed without a word, pausing only when I reached the doorway, sensing something behind me. Slowly, I turned, almost expecting an attack or minion, but it did not feel like it was going to harm me at all.

It felt almost...grateful.

Once I had turned fully around, I saw Chame standing there in spectral form with a baby dragon sitting upon her shoulders, coiled around the back of her neck. She was smiling as she lightly stroked her pet behind its head, her entire aura radiating gratitude. I smiled back, happy to see that she was free at last and watched as she bowed deeply in thanks, even with the baby dragon upon her shoulders.

Then, she slowly disappeared with her pet, and I turned around, hurrying to catch up with Chimitsu down the hall.

* * *

1 _"Minamoto-chan! Shikkarishite!"_ - "Minamoto-chan! Get it together!"  
2 _Hamachi_ - Yellowtail tuna, a kind of sushi  
3 _Tako_ - Squid, a kind of sushi  
4 _Unagi_ - Eel, another kind of sushi 


	48. Yonjuunana: Flames Of Jealousy

I followed Chimitsu-chan through the dimly lit corridors, heading down deeper into Aku's fortress and into the belly of the beast. It was eerily silent for what was usually a very active place, with Chimitsu's heels and my sandals clicking audibly against the stone floor. It was rather creepy being down here, but neither Chimitsu or myself had the time to feel any fear.

We both knew that it was only going to get tougher with each Dark Elemental we fought, working our way up to Aku himself. A part of me was anxious, remembering what happened the last few times I had faced Aku and another part of me knew that I could beat him this time. Actually, I was a bit more worried about Chimitsu, knowing that she could not do a thing to hurt any of these Dark Elementals or Aku.

I also worried about the others, wondering how they were faring outside against the minions and destroyer droids.

I paused and glanced back towards the direction we had come from, then turned back and continued on my way alongside Chimitsu. As much as I wanted to help them, I could not take the time to do so. If I wanted to help them, then I would have to make my way through the tower and defeat Aku, not go back and waste my time fighting with them.

We traveled down the corridor for what seemed like an eternity before we entered a room that was illuminated in eerie, pale blues. Both of us came to a stop, instinctively reaching for our weapons when we felt a dark presence enter the room. We had finally reached the next Dark Elemental and would soon be making our way even deeper into the demon's fortress.

There were a few moments of silence, but nobody appeared. We could feel them in the room, knew they were here, but they failed to show themselves. I looked to Chimitsu, who looked back at me, and then looked around the room, trying to see them.

I doubted they would make an attempt to take us by surprise, not when we had clearly sensed us and were ready for them.

"Show yourself!" Chimitsu cried.

There was another moment of silence before the Dark Elemental answered.

"As you wish." a husky voice said.

Slowly, a figure rose up from the floor, twisting and melting into a slim female form. She was scantily dressed and very attractive, but the seductive smile upon her lips told us instantly which one of the Dark Elementals had come to fight us next. The blue lights grew slightly brighter, increasing the eerie appearance of the room and the shadows that danced upon her face.

I had not seen her face before, but got the feeling from the lust that radiated from her aura that she was the one who had invoked jealousy and desire within myself and Chimitsu in Hub Four. I could feel the rage coming from Chimitsu and the tension in the room grew quite heavy, weighing down upon us like a suffocating mist. She knew this woman and recognized her face, even when I did not.

"You...you're that bitch I saw in that alley with Mad Jack in Hub Four. It was you who invoked all that jealousy and lust while we were there." she said.

"Very perceptive. Wish I could say I was surprised, but I'm not. Not when you of all Elementals figured it out. I wonder...did your little samurai figure it out, too?"

She slowly turned towards me with that lecherous smile on her face and I narrowed my eyes at her, hardly amused. Slowly, that smile faded and she straightened, her expression serious now. It was time to get down to business and I reached for my katana, intending on drawing it and attacking.

Off to my right, I heard the sound of Chimitsu's nodachi sliding from its sheath and into her hands. I kept my eyes on this Dark Elemental, noticing that her expression was serious and her eyes almost smug. She was apparently not afraid of either myself or Chimitsu, despite that one of her comrades had already fallen.

"Enough talk, Netami. It's time to fight." Chimitsu said.

"Of course, but I won't be the one doing the fighting."

"Oh, really?"

"Really."

There was a moment of tense silence in which Netami and Chimitsu stared each other down, neither one afraid of the other or willing to move. My heart pounded in my chest as I waited for one or the other to land the first blow, my katana growing heavy in my hands. The longer I watched them stare each other down, the more I got a bad feeling rising in my chest about the entire situation.

Suddenly, I felt a light breath of wind brush across the right side of my face and turned to come face to face with Chimitsu's nodachi. My eyes widened and I took a step back at the sight of her holding it threateningly towards me with both hands. She advanced each time I stepped back away from her, her normally cheery emerald eyes hard and cold with hatred.

I held my katana ready, but knew that I was unable to block if she struck with all her strength backing that nodachi. Even my enchanted blade was not meant to fence with such an enormous sword, especially when wielded by a powerful Elemental. I could block, but it would shatter my sword and she would likely kill me as a result.

Netami leaned casually against a rock, smirking in satisfaction as she watched Chimitsu back me up, enjoying my discomfort.

"Chimitsu-chan, what has come over you? We are on the same side, remember?" I asked.

She raised the nodachi and slashed at me, forcing me to dive aside or be sliced in two. I rolled away and came to a stop near another rock formation, watching her carefully as she advanced again. I could not understand her sudden change of heart towards me and began to look for a way to keep myself out of her range long enough to figure it out.

"Same side? Why should I be on the same side as you?" she asked.

"We are fighting for the same goal, Chimitsu-chan. Remember, your sisters and the others out there fighting the minions and droids for us?"

"Tch. Cannon fodder. They're of no use to me any more than you are. You're nothing to me, samurai, just a means to get into this fortress so I could kill you myself."

"Kill me? Why on earth do you want to kill me?"

I dove out of the way of another strike, watching as the sparks flew from her blade, leaving a small boulder in two perfect halves. I spun my own blade in my hand, but refused to strike at her, not when this did not seem right at all. Chimitsu-chan would never want to kill me and I knew it.

"My sisters died because of you. They've died and left me all alone in this world all because of you, but you're nothing. You're worthless. You can't fight to Aku yourself. No, you have to use me and the little ones outside as cannon fodder for the sake of your own goals!" she snarled.

"You know that is not true! I did not force you or them into this battle at all. I am perfectly capable and willing to do this myself if that is what you so wish, but you told me you did not want to do such a thing. You told me you would not allow it, that you and the others were ready to lay down your lives to fight this war with me."

"Lies! All lies! You're just using me! My sisters died for nothing because of you and I'm all alone because of their sacrifice! I hate you!"

Her words stung and for a moment, I was so startled by the revelation that I could not bring myself to move. All this time, I had thought that Chimitsu loved me with all her heart, but in hearing this, I began to wonder if this was how she really felt. She _was_ all alone and appeared to bury her feelings, but were these feelings the real ones or were they what I knew in my heart to be real?

Suddenly, I felt something sting my right shoulder and I jerked away, gasping in pain. Hot blood began to soak my kimono sleeve and trickle down my arm beneath it, staining the white silk a deep wine red. I stepped away from her as quickly as I could, reaching up to press my left hand to the wound to stop the bleeding, staring at her in disbelief.

Hatred radiated from her aura, darkening her appearance and hardening her lovely features into a cold, emotionless mask. She smiled cruelly at the sight of my wounded arm and the blood that stained the blade of her nodachi as she advanced again. She had failed to kill me or perhaps she had simply meant to strike me in an attempt to provoke me into fighting, but I refused, backing away again.

Netami stood leaning against a stone pillar, grinning as she watched the fight, clearly enjoying every minute of it. I glanced between her and Chimitsu, realizing that she had to be doing this, playing with Chimitsu's mind to make her hate me. I had to do something to break the spell's hold on my beloved before she struck me down without Netami having to launch a single blow.

"This is your doing, is it not?" I asked her while avoiding Chimitsu.

"Of course. You expected anything less from me?"

"Not particularly. Manipulation of the mind and heart seems to be the way you deal with everything. Why do you not let her go and fight me yourself?"

"Because where's the fun in that? Why waste my energy in destroying you when your little angel can do the work for me?"

I furrowed my brows and dove out of the way of another overhead strike from Chimitsu. She was strong, but that blade was too heavy and clumsy for her to be completely quick with it. Granted, she was fast enough, but if I could get far enough away, she would not be able to strike in time to stop me from lashing out at Netami.

Sheathing my katana, I sprang up high into the rock fixtures along the wall, hearing Chimitsu take flight behind me. I knew that she was faster in flight than on foot, but it did not matter to me at the moment. Forcing her to chase me up amongst the rock fixtures gave me enough time to get an opening in which to strike at Netami with.

Once I had sufficiently escaped her striking range, I leapt back down to the ground, reaching into my obi for a small dart shuriken that I kept there for such a purpose. The moment my feet touched the ground, I threw it as hard as I could at Netami, who had been unable to anticipate my move and move out of the way in time. She shrieked in pain as it hit her in the neck, her hold on Chimitsu's mind breaking.

Chimitsu tumbled to the ground and came to a stop, her nodachi lying on the floor beside her hands. She was breathing, but not moving, stunned from the sudden fall. She would be all right for the moment while I took care of business with Netami.

I turned around and drew my katana again, finding Netami gone and my dart laying on the ground where she had been standing, its tip bloody. I wheeled back around towards Chimitsu, expecting Netami to attack me from behind, but now, she, too had vanished. I knew that Netami and the others would not be so foolish as to try and capture her again, but neither of them could have gone far without me knowing.

Chimitsu would not have teleported herself away in the middle of a battle and Netami would not have run out of fear of facing Aku's wrath. If not a hostage situation or escape, then they still had to be in the room with me somewhere.

"Minamoto-chan..."

I whipped around, shocked to see Chimitsu standing there, unharmed and unruffled from her rough landing seconds before. Her nodachi was sheathed on her back between her wings, her eyes shining with their usual happiness once again. There was something strange about all this, but I was not about to complain if it was really her.

"Chimitsu! Are you all right?" I asked.

"I'm fine. Not the first time I've had a rough landing."

"Right. What happened to Netami?"

"You destroyed her."

I blinked, finding that hard to believe. I had struck her with a simple dart shuriken, not my katana, and I knew that no ordinary piece of metal could cause fatal damage to a Dark Elemental, no matter where I may have managed to strike her. My katana, yes, but not a simple metal dart.

"I destroyed her?" I asked.

"Yes. I saw it with my own eyes. She turned to dust, just like the other one."

"How could I destroy her with one simple strike that was not even from my katana?"

"You have purity backing you and you hit her in the neck. She's as weak as the other was."

I sighed a little and lowered my katana, looking up at her. She certainly looked like my Chimitsu, but there was something in her eyes that I was unable to read, making me wonder just how real this all was. Perhaps I had struck down the Dark Elemental with one blow, but it did not seem very likely and even if it was, Chimitsu could not have possibly regained her wits so quickly.

"Well...if we have indeed destroyed this Dark Elemental, then we should be on our way." I said.

"Yes. Let's go."

Chimitsu turned towards the way we had come and I furrowed my brow.

"Chimitsu-chan, that is the exit. We want to go this way." I said, pointing towards the opposite exit that led to the next room.

She slowly turned around and walked back to me, taking my free hand in hers as she gazed into my eyes. Slowly, I began to felt relaxed instead of anxious as I was, my focus starting to slip away. I was no longer in Aku's fortress, fighting my way with Chimitsu through the Dark Elementals, but back on the plains in the empty, cool countryside.

"Chimitsu...why...why are we fighting?" I asked her.

"You tell me. Why'd you want to fight?"

"So...I...could get home. So...I...could...free your sisters. Do you not want me to free them?"

"How can we free them from death? They're happy where they are, Jack, at peace where Aku can't touch them anymore. There's no need for you to fight anymore, samurai. Put your blade away and let's go home and spend eternity together."

Her idea sounded so tempting that I did not want to resist. I did not want to fight any more, just go home and live my life out here with Chimitsu at my side. Slowly, I reached up with my free hand to lift up her chin, leaning down for a warm, deep kiss, forgetting about everything that had been in my heart moments before.

Yet, despite the tempting offer and desire to take Chimitsu-chan home to make love to her the moment we arrived, I could feel something inside me screaming that this was not right. Chimitsu-chan would not have asked me to lower my katana and go home when we had only begun the battle we had both been waiting for for so long. She would not have asked me to turn my back on her and her sisters and what they had sacrificed to accomplish on my behalf and if this Chimitsu was asking that...then she was not real.

And if she was not real, then that meant only one thing...a spell.

Slowly, we broke apart and Chimitsu gazed into my eyes, her brow furrowing when she saw my expression. She knew that something was wrong and I knew that I would have to strike fast if she was the Dark Elemental. If it was Netami, she would know that I knew something was up and I could not give her any time to escape.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Chimitsu would not have asked me to walk away from everything we have been fighting for for so long. If you are asking me to do that, then you are not real, and if you are not real, then..."

In a flash, I gripped the handle of my katana with both hands and swung up, ramming it through her midsection until a good part of the tip protruded from her lower back. Her eyes widened in shock and disbelief as a thin trickle of blood ran out of the corner of her mouth. She struggled to say something, but could only choke as the blood began to fill her lungs.

"You are not my Chimitsu." I finished.

A moment later, she slipped off the blade and fell backwards in a heap on the floor, her blood staining the floor as the illusion of Chimitsu melted away, revealing Netami lying there instead. Very clever of her indeed. She almost had me believing that she was Chimitsu, but her mistake had been trying to talk me out of this battle with Aku and forget about Chimitsu's dead sisters who had sacrificed so much in the name of hope.

Her dead eyes stared blankly up at the ceiling for a few moments before she dissolved into dust, just as Hideri had before her. Behind me, Chimitsu groaned and I could hear her pull herself up onto her feet, struggling to lift her nodachi enough to sheathe it. She walked over to me, rubbing at a small bump on her head, staring at the fading pile of dust.

"I missed it?" she asked.

"Hai. She tried impersonating you and tricking me into walking away from this fight."

"Then...how'd you kill her?"

"She made the mistake of trying to tell me to forget about the sacrifices your sisters made. She said that she thought they were happier dead and safe from Aku and I knew that you would never say such a thing."

"I'll be damned. That's very strong of you, Jack, to break through such a powerful spell."

"It was not strength. It was just knowing that you would not have said something like that to me or try to pull me away from my quest. Once I realized that, I knew that she was not you."

She reached up and gently rubbed at my shoulders before sighing softly.

"C'mon. We had better go. This one makes two, but we still have three more to go before we get to face Aku. It's only going to get tougher from here on out, samurai." she said.

"I know. I am not afraid. I have been looking forward to this for a long time."

"As have I."

Without another word, she turned and headed towards the exit and on towards our next opponent. I followed, pausing only to turn and look back towards where Netami had fallen as I neared the door, wondering if I would be seeing Himoto there. I would have been rather disappointed if I had not seen her, but I doubted that the Fire Elemental would let me down.

Sure enough, I saw her there in spectral form, her guardian phoenix resting on her gloved right hand, both shimmering with gratitude that I had freed them. I caught sight of a loving glimmer in Himoto's eyes, but knew that she knew I was already spoken for, no matter how lovely she was. Still, she could not help but wink and blow me a kiss before reaching up to stroke the wings of the phoenix resting on her other hand.

I chuckled softly and gave her a nod before turning around and hurrying to catch up with Chimitsu again.


	49. Yonjuuhachi: At Death's Door

I walked alongside Chimitsu-chan as we continued down through another deserted, creepy corridor, this one barely even lit. It was difficult to see where we were going, but Chimitsu assured me that she knew where we were both headed. I followed her uneasily, not liking the growing stench that was coming our way from ahead of us.

Shifting a little, I realized that my wounded shoulder was beginning to ache and sting now that the adrenaline flowing in my blood had begun to decrease. I slowed my steps, trying to see how bad it was, but in such low light, it was quite difficult. I eventually came to a stop near a covered torch, trying to see the wound, but still could not.

"Let me see that, Minamoto-chan." Chimitsu said.

Reluctantly, I let her take my arm and push my kimono sleeve up to have a better look, only to have it slide back down and get in the way. With a frustrated growl, she simply tore it away to reveal a rather nasty and deep gash in my upper arm near the shoulder. The flow of blood had slowed, but a small trickle still continued to make its way on down towards my elbow.

"I'm sorry..." she whispered, gently pressing her palm to the wound.

"It is not your fault, Chimitsu-chan. You did not do that willingly."

She did not answer and did not raise her head to look at me, keeping her gaze focused on the wound as she began to heal it. There were a few moments of silence as the gash closed itself before Chimitsu finally released me, revealing a completely healed arm without so much as a scar. I rolled my shoulder a bit, smiling a bit when I felt that I had my full range of mobility back without stretching anything.

"Thank you, Chimitsu-chan." I said with a smile before allowing my expression to turn serious.

I did not need to say another word before Chimitsu turned around, heading down the corridor once again. I followed, keeping alert, knowing that it could not be very long before we met up with the next Dark Elemental. I stayed close to her, the stench hanging in the air growing stronger and stronger with each step, smelling sour and dank all at the same time.

Finally, we stepped into a darkened room, darker than the last, shrouding everything in shadows. I did not like the darkness of the room, although I had to admit that the air smelled a bit clearer here than it did out in the corridor we had just passed through. The very shadows seemed to twist and turn of their own will, dancing and snaking their way around the room like some sort of death dance.

Chimitsu came to a stop a few steps inside the door, looking around carefully, her wings slightly outstretched as if she was ready to take flight at a moment's notice. I stood beside her with my left hand on the scabbard of my katana, ready to break the seal and draw it with the right if necessary. It was tense for a few moments, but I knew that the next Dark Elemental was here.

Slowly, the shadows began to melt together into a form that I could not tell whether it was male or female. It was concealed completely in a hooded cloak from head to foot and carried a large scythe that gleamed dangerously in the dim light. The whole room carried an aura of gloom and despair about it, chilling me to the very core, despite how I tried to ignore it.

"Welcome to the Underworld, samurai. I am the guide to the afterlife, the gatekeeper to the realm of the dead and the deliverer of final retribution. I am indiscriminate, taking young, taking old, male, female, of all races and walks of life, as eternal as time itself." a cold, emotionless voice rang out, echoing in the room.

The cowled head slowly rose and the free hand reached up, pulling back the hood to reveal the same woman I had seen at Duncan's castle the day he and his entire clan had been wiped out. I bristled at the sight of her, wanting to attack her on the spot, but knew better than to attack in blind anger, especially when this one was an Elemental. I could feel Chimitsu tensing beside me and hea

rd her nodachi slowly slide from its sheath. "You..." I hissed. "You were the one who killed Duncan and his clan. You were the one who took them without a fight, leading them into death before their time.

"It's my job to guide those souls to the underworld, samurai. I did what I was ordered to, regardless of whether it was right or wrong."

"So Death is controlled so easily, just like that? Killing for the demon as he sees fit, not how it is supposed to be?"

"Essentially, yes."

"Why?"

She reached up with one hand and untied the belt holding the cloak in place before slowly sliding the garment off her shoulders to the floor. Underneath was an elegantly styled black dress that looked almost like something a spider would wear, complete with medieval lacing at the bodice. The scythe fit right in with the rest of the outfit, completing the dark, dangerous look she carried about herself.

"Because I can't disobey him. He made me and he can unmake me. I can't let that happen." she said.

"Would you rather perish at another's hand?"

"If it would save me his wrath, then perhaps, but don't think that I'm not going to go down without any kind of a fight, samurai."

"Of course not."

She pushed herself up off the ground a few inches, hovering over to land in front of me. I immediately took a step back, reaching with my right hand for my katana, but somehow, something stopped me from drawing it and striking her down in one swipe. Her scythe vanished and she reached out towards me before Chimitsu could do anything to stop her, her hands gently cupping my face between them.

Instantly, my body relaxed and I felt my mind slipping, along with the will to fight her, at least for the moment. I stood there with her holding my head and slowly, my gaze moved up to stare right into her cold, empty eyes. I could feel myself being pulled into their depths, into the heart of Death herself to a place I would later hope to never see again.

I felt myself being pulled, but could not control where I was going, being led by the Dark Elemental who held my very life in her cold, dead hands. I could hear the sound of fighting in the distance and began to wonder where she was taking me. I soon began to feel dizzy, almost nauseous, at the speed we were traveling at and quickly squeezed my eyes shut to force the feeling of discomfort down.

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself standing on a hill, overlooking the battlefield Chimitsu and I had left hours before. Destroyer parts and minion costumes lay scattered about the grassy plain amongst craters and scorch marks left by the artillery of both sides. The fighting was still going on, just as hard and heavy as it was when Chimitsu and I had broken free of the back of the destroyers.

All about, I could see people fighting and almost all of them were wounded in some form or another. I could see the Canines piloting large mechanical vehicles, firing artillery shells into destroyers, others ripping them apart with mechanical claws and still others slicing into them with various blades protruding from their sides. I could see the last of the Tribe and the Wildman fighting minions with the skills I had taught them to survive with in the jungle and felt a bit of pride in seeing that.

Extor flew overhead in some sort of vehicle, firing at minions and droids with each pass, zigging and zagging in and out over the fighting group. A few of the tribe and a few Canines had fallen, but I was relieved to see that the casualties were relatively low considering how long they had been fighting, although I knew that the tide could turn at any moment. They had been fighting for a long time and were not used to doing so for so long like I was.

It would be only a matter of time before they grew exhausted and began to fall to the relentless waves of droids and minions.

I turned my head slightly and saw Death standing there beside me, staring emotionlessly into the battlefield with her scythe in her left hand. Her eyes scanned the battlefield, as if she was looking for a target, for someone else to bring down. I did not want to watch, but she had brought me here and I could not leave until she wished it.

Finally, she turned her cold, empty eyes towards a small group that had broken away from the main battle and were moving further and further away. I looked closer and was almost surprised to see blasts of ice spraying about, coating minion and droid alike. Maeven! There was absolutely, positively, no possible way I could mistake the little faerie's ice magic.

There was a loud explosion that destroyed several droids and minions on the spot, sending pieces flying everywhere about the field. Yet they were not the only things that went flying through the air. Maeven herself was thrown back by the blast with a smaller minion on top of her.

She landed hard on her back on the grass not far from where Death and I stood, her tiny features marred with scratches and small burns and streaks of frost. Even at this distance, I could tell that she was badly wounded. Slowly, I began to realize what Death was doing and whom she had chosen to fall next in battle, much to my dismay.

"Why this one?" I asked.

"The little one is brave, samurai, much like you. You don't realize it, but you care about her like you would a fellow soldier. You respect her honesty and her bravery. Despite her tiny size, she fights with the heart and will of a fighter like you."

"Then it is her time?"

"No. She must go because she is a formidable threat to my master."

I clenched my hands at my side, wanting to stop her, but knew that I would not be able to. Death was doing this through her very mind, through powers, and I could not stop her that way no matter how much I wanted to. I hated feeling so helpless like this, unable to keep a dear friend of mine from dying right before my very eyes.

Maeven was strong, yes, but she was no match for one of Aku's minions. It had her pinned firmly against the grass, its yellow eyes showing nothing but pure hatred and malice for the little blue faerie. Her face was a mask of hardened determination with a clear disregard for the difference in their sizes or that he might kill her before she was able to escape.

Slowly, her head turned towards where Death and I were standing and her expression melted into a kind, peaceful smile of contentment. I felt a lump form in my throat as I realized what she was going to do to herself and the minion that held her down. She knew Death was there, that I was there, and that we were watching her struggling with the minion in that moment.

_#Blessed be, brother samurai. It was an honor to fight this battle with you and the Lady.#_

With one last smile, she turned back to the minion, her expression hardening again into one of final determination. Her eyes began to glow and spark, a small wind tearing up around her and the minion, stirring the grass at my feet with an icy chill. Then, with one last sharp, shrill cry in her native language, she latched onto the minion and both of them exploded in a blast of snowflakes, leaving nothing but a cold frost upon the grass behind.

I swallowed hard, feeling my body shake with horror and rage towards Death. She had not moved once the entire time we had been standing there, nor had she shown any emotion in Maeven's final moments. Maeven had known that it was her time and had not flinched while staring down the eyes of Death, going out the most honorable way possible.

But that did not make the raw ache in my heart hurt any less.

I sank to my knees and bowed my head, feeling hot tears roll down my cheeks as the battle continued around us without end. One by one they were dying and all for my sake and the sake of Chimitsu, all so we could complete the very mission we had been trying to finish all along. It was too much for me to bear and I clutched blades of grass in my fists until my fingers dug into the dirt.

"How many more? How many will fall before the sun sets?" I whispered.

"Perhaps all, perhaps none, perhaps only a few."

Her cryptic response only tore into the raw wound in my heart and my sorrow slowly gave way to anger.

"Damnit, how many! Who else must sacrifice themselves for the sake of a future of hope!" I cried.

"The number depends on how long it takes for you to die in their place."

"If I allow you to bring me to the underworld, to take my life, then you will leave them alone? You will promise that they will live until their true time of death?"

"Yes."

Slowly, I released the blades of grass and dirt I squeezed in my palms, considering her offer. If I let her kill me now, then I could stop the senseless death and destruction before me and keep all those that I cared about safe. Yet, if I did that, then what was I fighting for all these months?

I had not fought this long, this hard, or come this far just to give up and let things continue as they had for so many centuries.

I pulled myself up to my feet and turned to face Death, seeing that she was still looking out over the battlefield, searching for her next victim. It did not matter whether or not I went willingly or not. Either way, regardless of whether or not I refused, she would still try to take my life. It was not worth just giving up and letting her take me without a fight.

If Aku was going to win and rule this world for the rest of eternity, then I was going to die fighting honorably.

"Well, samurai?" she asked.

"No. They fight for the same reasons I do. They lay down their lives in the hope of one day seeing a world without your master's rule. They fight for me because I have helped them and gave them hope, something you could not possibly understand. Besides, it does not matter whether or not I accept your offer; I am a dead man either way and I would rather die fighting than on my knees at your mercy."

Finally, she turned her head towards me and slowly, a faint smile began to spread across her lips. Her eyes began to shine with a flicker of life instead of their usual dead emptiness. I remembered how she showed a faint spark of regret at Duncan's castle and began to wonder if somehow, she did not want to fully comply with Aku's orders.

"You're a brave man, Jack Minamoto. Few have ever dared to look me in the eye and tell me that they'd rather see their friends die than die in their place." she said.

"No. It is not about whether or not I would rather see them die than allow myself to die in their place. It is a matter of believing in them as they believe in me. They believe I can destroy Aku and, in turn, I believe that they can fight these minions for all they are worth, no matter what the cost because they have something to believe in."

"And what about me? Do you believe in me?"

"I believe that you do not want to kill all those Aku has ordered you to kill. You showed regret at Duncan's castle and you show a spark of regret right now. Will you let it go willingly or will we have to fight to the death for what we believe is right?"

There was a brief pause, during which I could see a flicker of compassion in her cold eyes. Somehow, I began to get the feeling that she finally understood what I felt and why we fought so hard against such impossible odds. Even Death herself was impressed, perhaps even envious in that moment and perhaps that was why she chose the way she did.

"You know he won't let me go without a fight." she whispered.

"He cannot stop you when you are dead."

She gave another brief smile before stepping forward, grabbing my head, and leaning in for a kiss. I could not react, startled at how quickly and suddenly she had moved in to do it. She had given no indication whatsoever of making any such advances and I could only stand there, letting her kiss me amongst the fighting droids and minions.

Slowly, I could feel myself drifting, almost sinking downward through the ground, feeling almost content and at peace. It almost did not matter that I had not reached my goal, only that I had come so close and fought so hard to come this far. I almost felt enraptured, but not at all like how it felt whenever Chimitsu kissed me, not so lifegiving and breathtaking all in the same gesture.

This...this felt entirely different somehow.

Suddenly, I felt a sharp stinging against my back and my eyes snapped open in mid-kiss, looking first into Death's eyes and then at the room around me. It had become brighter, lights illuminating the eerie decor and aura that surrounded it. Skeletons of all shapes and sizes hung on the walls and littered the floors, skulls serving as terrifying candelabras.

I began to panic, realizing that Death was stealing the breath from my very lungs with this kiss, her ice cold hands gripping my head so tightly that it was starting to hurt. Behind her stood Chimitsu, the blade of her nodachi stained once again with my blood. Spots began to dance before my eyes, but I was still able to see her raise the heavy blade and strike the other Elemental across the back, forcing her to let me go.

With a gasp, I fell hard on my back amongst a pile of dusty skeletons, startling a spider and more than a few rats from within the depths of the bones. I ignored it and lay there, gasping and wheezing, greedily sucking in the stale air. My head spun and the spots began to clear from my vision as the air returned to my lungs and faintly, ever so faintly, I heard the sound of a struggle on the other side of the room.

Once I had caught my breath enough to move, I forced myself up onto my feet, seeing Chimitsu pinned against the opposite wall with a small dagger impaled in her left shoulder. Death leaned menacingly over Chimitsu, raising the Wind Elemental's own nodachi over her head. I took an unsteady step forward, nearly tripping over a skull and then a rat as I headed towards them.

Neither of them noticed me as I approached, slowly withdrawing my katana from its sheath.

"I'm sorry to do this, Chimitsu, but you understand, don't you? I can't disobey Aku no matter what I feel. He owns me, just as he will soon own you and the samurai." Death whispered.

"You don't have to do this, Fuki. He doesn't own you and doesn't have the right to. You could easily turn on him if you didn't fear him so much."

"Try living in the same castle and sleeping in the same bed as him, little angel. You don't know fear 'till you've done that."

I knew that she did not really want to do what she was doing. I had seen it in her eyes on the battlefield moments before she had kissed me. She did not want to kill me or Chimitsu, but I began to understand why she had tried to kill me with the kiss of death and why she was trying to kill Chimitsu now.

She did not have the heart to face Aku and die at his hand for failure to kill us.

She had her back to me and could have killed Chimitsu at any time, but she was hesitating. She knew I was there and that I was armed, ready to strike her down. I remembered what she had said to me out on the battlefield and knew that there was only one thing to do now that she had given me the opportunity.

In one swift strike, I rammed the blade of my katana up through her back and out between her breasts at an angle. Chimitsu cried out in surprise as her nodachi slipped from the Dark Elemental's hands, but Fuki herself barely even gave so much as a grunt as I slowly let go of the blade. I took a step back, waiting for her to fall and turn to dust so we could continue with our mission.

Slowly, she turned, despite having a three foot katana buried in her torso, and came to a stop facing me. Her eyes shimmered with a spark of life, her face showing an unexpected gratitude. It was what she had wanted all along, to die at my hands and be free of Aku's unnatural control of her element, as well as her fear of being in his service and bed.

"Be free..." I whispered a second before her eyes went completely dark.

She fell to her knees and then facedown on the ground a second later, pushing my katana back out through her chest until it toppled to the ground beside her. A moment after that, she dissolved into dust that blew away into nothingness, leaving myself and Chimitsu alone. I looked up at the sound of a snap and saw Chimitsu standing there with the dagger in her hand, her left shoulder bleeding profusely for a few seconds before it began to close.

"Are you all right?" I asked.

"I'll be fine. I'm more worried about you. She nearly killed you."

"Perhaps. I think she was trying to get us to help her."

"Help her? How?"

"She wanted to be free."

She gave me a confused look before shaking her head and picking up her nodachi, resheathing it on her back between her wings. I retrieved my own blade, watching as she headed out into the next corridor leading to the next Dark Elemental. I sighed and followed, knowing that it was down to Ekirei and Mad Jack now, the very pair who had harassed us from the start.

As I reached the door, I felt a cool breeze wrap around my body and I turned, glancing behind myself. As expected, there stood Asagi in her elaborate kimono with her hair back in the chiming silver ornaments and a smile of freedom upon her face. In her hands was a baby umigame1, its mother and father on either side of her at her feet.

She gave a short bow before all three disappeared into pale blue mist, leaving me to turn around and hurry up to catch Chimitsu. I felt almost excited, knowing just how close we were to attaining the goal we had sought for so long. Only two Dark Elementals stood between us and Aku and the freedom this world had longed for since I had been thrown from my home time.

With that thought in mind, I picked up my pace and hurried to where Chimitsu was walking down the corridor, on towards the second-to-last Dark Elemental.

* * *

1 _Umigame_ - A loggerhead sea turtle 


	50. Yonjuukyuu: A Dish Best Served Cold

As I turned around and headed into the hall to catch up to Chimitsu, I quickly wiped the blood from my katana and sheathed it before it dried. I was getting tired, not so much from the fighting but from the fact that Fuki had nearly sucked the life from me if not for Chimitsu's intervention. I could see her rolling her freshly healed shoulder up ahead of me and wondered if it had healed as completely as it looked.

"Are you all right?" I asked as I caught up to her.

She glanced over at me and nodded, slowly lowering her arm.

"I'll be fine," she stated with a wink. "Clash of essences. Whenever you strike a Dark Elemental with your katana or I strike one with my nodachi, it causes a clash of essences that makes it slightly difficult to heal from. It's closed, but it's going slow in repairing the mobility on the inside. Give it a few minutes and it'll finish healing itself. You, on the other hand..."

She moved around behind me and I could feel her looking at the nasty cut across my back from when she had struck me. It probably looked and felt worse than it was, but I had no doubt in my mind that she was likely feeling very bad for hurting me like that. There were a few moments in which she gently probed at my back before starting to invoke her healing magic.

"Chimitsu-chan, if I may object..." I began.

She paused and moved back around to face me.

"You need healing."

"And I will only become injured again. Save your magic reserves until we face Aku. Ekirei and Mad Jack are not anything we have not faced before, but Aku is strong enough that we will both need to be at full strength. You cannot do that by wasting your magic in healing me after every fight."

"Minamoto-chan..."

"No, Chimitsu. I insist. It will be all right."

She sighed softly and finally relented, nodding.

"All right. C'mon, let's go."

I followed her down the corridor, this one swimming with a heavy heat in the air like the humidity of a jungle. I had a pretty good idea which one of the remaining Dark Elementals was going to be next and knew that Chimitsu and I would have to give it all we had. Neither Eki, nor Mad Jack, would waste any time with seductions or illusions or powers this time and I was ready for nothing less than an all out fight from the moment we entered the next room.

The heat began to grow unbearable and I could feel the sweat trickling into the wounds on my back, stinging as it mingled with the blood. Yet I ignored it, heading on down the hall with Chimitsu towards the next room and the next Dark Elemental. Only two of them stood between us and our goal with Aku and a part of me was nervous, while the other part of me was anxiously anticipating the completion of this long quest.

Finally, we entered a room that felt a bit cooler than the corridor outside, much to my relief. I felt as if I could breathe easier and not feel as if the air itself was pressing down heavily on my body until it had crushed it. I wiped at my sweaty face as Chimitsu and I came to a stop, looking around for the next Dark Elemental.

We both drew our blades, knowing that it was unlikely that Ekirei was going to waste her time with introductions or even greetings. It was just a matter of time before she showed herself and attacked us. The lights were up and the room illuminated without any sign of illusion or pretense about it.

Despite our readiness, neither of us saw the attack coming right away and Chimitsu had barely enough time to block it. She raised her nodachi as Eki slammed into her, flaring her wings out to slow her backwards slide. Had it been me, I likely would not have had the speed or strength to block such an attack.

"Eki, what an unpleasant surprise. Do you always greet your guests like this or is it just us?" Chimitsu asked.

"Just you, dearie."

Chimitsu smirked and flung her dark twin aside, leaving an opening for me to attack. There was no need to wait to exchange words, not when all three of us knew what had to be done and I drew my katana while Eki flew through the air, dashing forward to leap at her the moment she got to her feet. I sprang at her the moment she appeared to see me coming, swinging down in an overhead strike while she was still unbalanced.

Sparks flew as my katana slammed down onto her nodachi, forcing her to kneel as I landed and pushed down with all my weight. Slowly, her surprised expression turned into a devious grin, her eyes showing her enjoyment of this little fight. I pushed down even harder, watching the nodachi sink back towards her head and felt nothing but a desire to see her fall quickly so we could continue on our way to Aku.

In a flash, a sharp pain radiated up from my groin and I snarled, stumbling back a few feet. Eki pulled herself to her feet and grinned nastily at me, spinning her nodachi around in one hand. I gave her a sharp glare as I tried to will the pain away as I realized that she had taken the opportunity to fight dirty right away with a foot to my groin.

Slowly, the pain ebbed away and I was able to raise my katana again, returning to a fighting stance. Eki simply grinned and rushed in again, our blades meeting in a shower of sparks over and over as they clashed repeatedly in between us. Chimitsu stayed off to the side, watching and waiting for an opportunity to help me if necessary, but otherwise stayed out of it, knowing that she could do nothing to hurt Eki.

Eki pushed down on her nodachi with one hand and swung with the other at my head, forcing me to duck out of the way. In turn, I slammed my elbow up into her chin, followed by a knee directly into her solar plexus. She stumbled back and shook her head before wiping at her mouth, her eyes turning cold and hateful.

"How dare you..." she snarled.

"If you can fight dirty with cheap groin shots, then turnabout is fair play, Eki."

Her expression darkened and her full mouth curled into a snarl as she dashed in again, slashing at me furiously. She was slowed by her anger and the weight of the heavy nodachi and it was relatively easy for me to dart out of the way as the blade came down. I sprang off the walls and out of the way, trying to get in an opening and counterattack, but it was difficult when she had the same speed Chimitsu did, even if she was slowed down some by the heavy sword.

I leapt up onto a rock and watched as she rushed in, watching the edge of her nodachi and the speed at which she was running. At the last moment, I sprang high up into the air and flipped over her, watching as her blade slammed into the stone, Eki realizing too late that she had to stop. I landed and wasted no time in spinning a roundhouse kick into her head while she was trying to pull the blade out, knocking her face-first into the stone wall.

She slumped to the ground for a second before forcing herself to her feet again with a low growl. In a flash, she reached up and ripped her nodachi from the stone wall, whipping it around so violently that the force of it striking my katana jarred my body right down to the bones. Surprisingly, it did not shatter the metal of the blade, something that had to be attributed to the magic infused within it.

Again she struck at me violently and rapidly, sparks flying whenever our two blades met in a shower of silver-white as a result of the clashing powers of the two weapons. I stayed on the ground this time, although I was unable to avoid getting clipped by her flashing blade as she struck furiously. Several times I felt it bite into my arms and legs, even across my back and stomach once or twice as I dodged and blocked.

Finally, she paused and watched me, panting a bit. I could feel my breath coming hard, too, but was not about to let that get to me as long as Eki was on her feet. We circled each other, staring into each other's eyes and waiting for the other to initiate the attack this time.

Chimitsu moved up onto the rocks behind me, staying out of the way as the battle between myself and Eki intensified. The tension in the air was thick, almost as thick and heavy as the humid air outside in the hallway. We both knew that an attack was inevitable, but whether or not it was Eki or myself that struck first remained to be seen.

Deciding to not wait for her this time, I leapt forward, striking as quickly as she had struck me before. She blocked as quickly as she could, but while her blade was larger, it was also heavier and she did not have the speed that came with a lighter blade like I did. As a result, I was able to land several blows, cutting into her skin and skimpy costume with relative ease.

The more we fought, the angrier Eki got and the angrier she got, the easier it was for me to break through her weak defenses and strike. I could not possibly wear her down, but was slowly wearing myself down as I looked for an opening in which to strike her down with. If this kept up, she would be able to counterattack and take me down first before I had a chance.

A sudden snap kick caught me in the jaw and spun me around until I landed hard on the ground, my head reeling dizzily. I groaned and gasped for air as I pushed up on my elbows, tasting blood between breaths. My katana lay a few inches away from my hand, but I was too stunned to move quickly enough if Eki chose to strike.

I spat out blood on the ground and tried to pull myself back onto my feet, hearing Eki rush in towards me for the kill.

With a loud roar, Chimitsu vaulted into the air from her hiding place, landing to block Eki's strike at the last possible moment. There was a moment of shocked silence before the two women began to duel, giving me time to recover from that last nasty hit. I could hear the clash of their blades behind me as I hauled myself to my feet and leaned against a rock, trying to regain my full senses.

Slowly, I turned and continued to lean against the rock as I watched the two women fight, seeing an even match between them. Chimitsu could not kill Eki, but as far as I knew, it was possible that Eki might be able to kill Chimitsu and that would be disastrous. I knew that alone, Eki was more than a match for both of us.

I had the disadvantage of being mortal and tiring out easily, but Chimitsu's disadvantage lay within the fact that she could not finish the job with her dark twin. That was my job because I was not bound by Elemental Law and held the only instrument that could destroy the Dark Elemental. Chimitsu was buying me time and now that I had recovered, I knew that only through teamwork would we be able to throw Eki off balance.

By forcing her to fight two of us instead of one, we were certain to get an opening in which I could kill her.

With the decision made, I pushed myself away from the rock, snatched up my katana, and dashed into the fray. Chimitsu's eyes met mine for a brief second before I struck, tearing my katana along Eki's sensitive wings. Feathers and blood flew everywhere as my blade rendered them useless, drawing a loud, angry roar from the Dark Elemental.

She swung around at me blindly and I ducked, hearing her roar again as Chimitsu's nodachi tore into her side, spilling even more blood onto the floor. Instead of swinging at her original, she chose to ignore Chimitsu, swinging once more at me and forcing me to block. She pushed me back several steps before making a sudden swipe at my collarbone, tearing a nasty gash across my chest, shoulder, and arm, barely missing my neck.

I roared in pain and retaliated, striking as quickly as I could, tearing more cuts into her flesh. I pushed back with my full weight on my katana before slamming my fist into her jaw, snapping her head back as I dropped to sweep her feet out from under her. She fell hard, one wing turning at an odd angle as she landed and rolled to her side, pulling herself up to her feet again.

No sooner had she pulled herself to her feet than she was leaping at me again, striking violently over and over again, sending sparks flying through the air as our enchanted blades clashed repeatedly. Chimitsu had once again pulled herself back out of the way amongst the rocks, letting me take care of Ekirei, even though I had hoped for a team effort.

Chimitsu watched from the rocks with her nodachi sheathed on her back, apparently feeling that she would only be a hinderance rather than a help in the fight since she could not hurt Eki, much less kill her. I would have to do it all on my own and began to wonder if Chimitsu would have been better off staying behind with the others. Yet there was no time for regrets and no turning back for either of us.

She was here with me and there was little she could do except distract Eki while I fought.

Left, right, up, down, left, left, block, over and over again we struck at each other, tearing wounds into each other as time wore on. I was beginning to feel the exhaustion creep into my aching muscles, but would sooner wear myself into a collapse than let her win. There just had to be a way to get in an opening somehow, there just had to be.

While she was hardly sweating, I knew that she was tiring, her body struggling to regenerate the wounds that kept coming and coming. If she was anything like Chimitsu in that respect, soon she would exhaust her regenerative abilities and her wounds would no longer close. If I could hang on that long, I could wear her down, but it seemed more likely that she would wear me down first before she exhausted herself.

A particularly hard shove sent me sprawling onto my back hard enough to slam my head into the stone and knock my katana out of my hands a few feet away. I rolled aside as she slammed her nodachi down in an attempt to run me through, rolling back to belt her in the chin with a hard kick, knocking her away from her own weapon. As soon as she fell back, I rolled away again and pulled myself to my feet, dashing over to pick up my katana.

Eki wiped at her face again, swearing profusely as she spat blood out onto the floor and reclaimed her nodachi. One wing still hung broken and a few wisps of hair had come loose from her long braid. She panted heavily, watching me from where she stood, waiting for me to attack again while I took the opportunity to try to catch my breath.

"Don't you know when to give up!" she roared.

"If giving up means laying down and dying, then no. You know as well as I do that this is a battle to the death. Until one of us has perished at the other's hands, this fight cannot be decided."

With another roar, she leapt in and brought her nodachi down in an attempt to slice me clean in half. I had seen what she was planning the moment she sprang at me and rather than wasting my energies in attempting to block, I simply stepped aside, leaving nothing but air for the blade to cut through. Instead, it plowed into the stone floor, leaving Eki shocked and unable to free it from its stony confines.

I took the opportunity of her distraction to wheel around and ram the blade of my katana into her back, pushing until the hilt was a hand's length away from her back just below her wings. A sickening gurgle escaped her throat as I let go and took a few steps, waiting for her to fall and turn to dust. Yet, surprisingly, she did neither of these, turning around to face me and stare into my eyes with shock as the blood trickled from one corner of her mouth.

She looked down at the blade projecting from mid-stomach and then up to me before breaking into sadistic laughter. I was unsure of what to do when I saw her still standing there, having expected her to die as quickly as the other three had. Somehow, she was able to remain on her feet and alive, but in no condition to resume her assault.

A nasty grin crossed her battered face and she sent me flying back into the rocks with a blast of wind near Chimitsu. I struck hard and collapsed at an angle, half on my side, half on my back and aching all over. It was a weak blast, I knew, for I had not broken anything and knew that she would have killed me if she had done it with her full power.

Chimitsu immediately leapt out of her hiding spot and knelt down next to me, cradling my head in her arms.

"Minamoto-chan! Pull yourself together! She's not dead yet!" she cried.

I groaned and pushed her away, leaning on my side as I took a few deep, careful breaths. It hurt, but I guessed that the worst she had done to me was bruise me. Chimitsu-chan knelt there, ready to invoke her healing magic on me, but I pushed her away again, refusing to allow her to exhaust herself no matter how badly I was hurt from this.

Slowly, she stood, waiting for me to get back onto my feet. In those brief moments, we had both figured Eki was too weak to attack and far too weak to withdraw her nodachi from the stone, giving us a moment of recovery time. Yet the Dark Elemental had one last desperate ace up her sleeve and staggered over to us, walking up directly behind Chimitsu.

I looked up, seeing her behind my beloved angel and realized that she was going to try bringing down Chimitsu with her. She knew that Chimitsu was the key to healing me before the final battle with Aku and was going to remove her so that I would easily fall at the demon's hands. My eyes widened and I pushed myself up in an attempt to draw Chimitsu's attention to her dark twin behind her, but I was too late.

In an instant, Eki had grabbed Chimitsu from behind in a bear hug, impaling her on the part of my katana that protruded from her stomach. It now held the two of them together, the edge extending out through Chimitsu's midsection just below her sternum. My breath caught in my throat as I saw her emerald eyes darken with surprise and pain in the embrace of her dark twin.

"If I have to go down...then...I'm...taking you with me!" Eki grunted, grinning sadistically at her original.

Slowly, she pulled back, withdrawing the blade painfully from Chimitsu's torso, spilling blood all over the cheerful green and white gown. With a gasping, choked groan, Chimitsu fell to her knees, trying desperately to heal herself before she succumbed to the injuries. I hauled myself to my feet as Eki turned around and launched myself at her from behind, grabbing ahold of my katana that was still embedded in her.

With a savage yank, I tore it out of her sideways, nearly cleaving her in half. She fell to her knees, yet she was still barely alive. One hand supported herself while the other pressed to the wound, a gurgling laugh escaping her throat as I raised my katana for the final strike.

"See you in Hell, samurai..." she snarled a second before I took her head.

Her body and its lost head had barely just landed on the ground before they both turned to dust and blew away on the wind. I leaned against the nearest wall, panting, relieved that this fight was over with at last, leaving only Mad Jack and Aku between myself and this planet's freedom. My body ached and stung with many, many cuts, but we had a bit of time to catch our breaths before fighting my dark twin.

Chimitsu coughed and wheezed as she pulled herself to her feet, her wound closing beneath her torn, bloody gown. I noticed that it healed faster this time and realized that even though a Dark Elemental had caused the wound, they had done it with my katana. It was not supposed to be able to injure those of pure heart, but perhaps it was fortunate that it was my katana and not Eki's nodachi that had caused the wound.

I feared that if it had been the nodachi, the clash of dark and light powers would have killed her instantly.

She made her way over to me and smiled, leaning up to give me a kiss. I returned it briefly before gazing into her eyes, looking to see if she was all right. After what I had seen with her shoulder, I was not entirely certain that the other wound had closed completely inside.

"Are you all right?" I asked in nearly a whisper.

"I'm fine. It was at least your katana and not her nodachi. I'll heal by the time we get to MJ's level. You sure you don't want healing?"

"I am certain. I want to save it for right before Aku, especially when you just took a hit like that. I want to give you time to regenerate your magic before making you heal my wounds. I have fought Mad Jack before, both as a mortal and as an Elemental. I know his fighting style, his moves, and I am not afraid of his magic. I will be fine, I promise."

"All right. Let's take a short break to catch our breaths and then we'll go find MJ and kick his ass, ok?"

I chuckled softly and kissed the tip of her nose. She was much too cheerful sometimes, but it was refreshing nonetheless. I sat down and leaned against a large rock for a few moments, knowing that Mad Jack had to know what had just happened and that we were going to be coming for him shortly. Whether or not he realized that his moments were numbered, I did not know, but I had been waiting for this fight for a long time since his reincarnation and was ready for it.

_I hope you are ready, futago, for when the time comes, I will make you pay with my own two hands._


	51. Gojuu: Hour Of Darkness, Part 1

After a few moments of rest, I began to feel rested and noticed that Chimitsu's stomach wound had finally stopped bleeding. She had taken the opportunity to conjure her ruined gown into a modified form, one that showed off her newly healed belly and drew a bit of a blush to my face. For a moment, I wished that this fight was over so we could enjoy ourselves, but I knew that there was no use in getting ahead of ourselves.

There would be plenty of time for celebration later, when everything had been finished here and my quest complete.

Chimitsu stood and walked over to where I was sitting on a large rock, reaching up to take my hand. I gave her a slight smile, but it quickly faded when I noticed how tired she looked. She had not done nearly the amount of fighting I had, but that last wound had drained her reserves badly enough, despite the brief rest we had allowed ourselves.

"Time to go. I know we haven't rested that much, but we can't afford to rest any longer when the others are depending on us to finish what they can't." she murmured solemnly.

I nodded and slid down from my perch upon the rock, following her out of the room into the corridor. This one was lit with torches without any shadows or illusions to give us feelings of anxiety towards facing the last of the Dark Elementals. There was no need for it, of course, not when we had faced the other four to get this far and knew by now that the last one was none other than my dark twin, Mad Jack.

No doubt, he would have been hoping that we would defeat the other four in hopes that he would have a shot at us himself. I knew that he would especially enjoy facing me so that he could finish me with his own hands, although I knew that Aku would deny him such a pleasure. Mad Jack was only a pawn and I doubted that Aku relished having someone in his presence that resembled me, the one who was the bigger thorn in his demonic side.

I did not doubt for a second that Aku was intending on not only using the Dark Elementals to wear us down, but that he hoped that we would do him a favor by ridding him of five useless, expendable servants, especially my dark twin. He did not care about any of his servants, only as pawns and that the one he really cared about was me. He wanted to see me come to him in one piece so he could tear me apart himself and even see Chimitsu's destruction as well.

Chimitsu was right when she said that Aku was getting too big for his Elemental britches and I was slowly beginning to see why she thought so. He was the bearer of a great, destructive power and though he was not supposed to overstep his boundaries, he had done so many times over. He did not care about Elemental Law or his duties to uphold his Element's power or the people of this planet that he held in his demonic deathgrip.

All Aku cared about was obtaining an absolute power that was never meant for him to have.

As we neared the door that would lead us to the next level and the final battle with my dark twin, Chimitsu stopped and turned towards me. I stopped alongside her and looked at her curiously, wondering why she had stopped when we were right outside the door to the last Dark Elemental. She looked more nervous than I felt and I began to get the feeling that she was more frightened of this battle than I was.

"What is it? Why did you stop?" I asked.

"You're sure you don't want to be healed? You might need it."

"I am certain. There is no use in healing me when I am only going to be hurt again. Wait until we are heading in to face Aku, then you may heal me for that. You need time to recover your magic and that can only be done if you stay out of the way here."

"Stay out of the way? I know I can't hurt him, but I can at least distract him. Why do you want me to stay out of the way?"

"I do not mean to hurt you, Chimitsu-chan, but it is something I simply must do. Mad Jack is my very duplicate and it is my duty to fight him to the death, not yours. Stay up out of the way and let yourself recover a few moments longer so you will have enough strength to heal me when this fight is over, all right?"

She sighed softly and reached up, lightly caressing my jaw. I could see in her eyes that she did not like being told to stay out of this fight, but knew that she understood that my fight with Mad Jack was a matter of honor for me. For that, I knew she would respect my wishes and stay out of the way.

"All right, but if it looks like you're in trouble, don't expect me to stand there and let him kill you." she stated firmly.

I nodded and turned back towards the doorway, intending on heading inside to face Mad Jack, only to have her grab my arm and stop me. I glanced back a bit irritatedly, not wanting to be delayed any further when we were running out of time to do this. Without hesitation, Chimitsu pulled me in and kissed me hard, wrapping her arms and wings around me.

Not being one to argue with a beautiful woman, I wrapped my arms around her waist and returned the kiss. I really did want to hold her in my arms like this forever, but we had work to do and I slowly, reluctantly pulled away, gazing into her eyes for a brief moment. She smiled and lightly nuzzled my neck before letting me go.

"For luck, Minamoto-chan." she whispered.

I gave her a reassuring smile before allowing my expression to become serious again, readying myself for this last fight. We continued down the hall and into the room in silence, knowing that we did not have to say anything to know who we were fighting last before facing Aku. It was just us and Mad Jack and the final fight now.

The moment we stepped into the room, Chimitsu left my side and hid herself amongst the rocks to keep out of the way while I did the fighting. I could not see or sense my dark twin just yet, but I knew that he was not far away from us. If he was not hiding in the room, then he was approaching and approaching fast.

After a few moments of waiting, we could hear footsteps approaching from the other side where there was a doorway that no doubt led to Aku. Shortly after hearing the footsteps, we could see the silhouette of my dark twin approaching until he stepped into the light. As always, he was dressed from head to foot in leather and wore a self-satisfied, cocky smirk on his face.

"About time you two showed up! I was beginning to think you weren't coming." he snapped.

"I do not see how you could ever have any doubt that I would forget about _you_, futago. I would not have missed this for the world."

"Good! Then there's no reason to waste any more time talking, eh?"

I did not answer him, but instead drew my katana and held it in front of me, ready for his attack. He gave a nasty smirk and slowly removed his leather jacket before tossing it off to the side near the rocks. Slowly, coolly, he drew his katana from its special holster at his hip, still grinning sadistically.

He was going to enjoy every last minute of this and I knew it.

Without another word, we charged towards each other, our katanas clashing in a shower of white sparks in front of us. Over and over again we struck at each other, equally matched once again. This frustrated me most of all, knowing that Chimitsu could not harm him and that he knew everything I did, making us an equal match.

Despite what I had told Chimitsu earlier, I was not entirely certain that I could beat him and was beginning to wonder if we would both fall here. It was not a thought I wanted to entertain for long and I began to fight back harder, knowing that if I wanted to face Aku, I would have to get through my dark twin first. There just had to be a way to outwit him, there just had to be.

He grinned as I began to fight harder, casually backing up and letting me gain some ground on him. I knew from the look in his eyes and his posture that he was simply toying with me, letting me believe I could win so he could push me down when I had dropped my guard. The moment I paused, he grinned and struck in a flash, backing me up towards the opposite wall.

I could not allow him to trap me or I would die for sure and death was not an option, not just yet. He was not about to let me escape to either side or leap overhead, which meant that I would simply have to find another way. I pushed against him hard as the next blow came down, digging my heels into the dirt as he pushed me back a few inches before I stopped.

A low chuckle escaped his throat as he stared me down, trying to intimidate me into giving way beneath his strength. If he could try to trick me, then I could certainly do the same to him and bent back, pretending to be overtaken by his strength. The moment I saw his guard drop, I shoved forward with all my strength and knocked him onto his back.

He roared as he got back to his feet and took after me, which was exactly what I had in mind. Instead of facing down his charge, I dashed across the stone floor towards the opposite wall, silently praying that this would work down in here. Running at full speed with Mad Jack right behind me, I ran up the wall a few feet and flipped high over his head as he came to a screeching halt just barely a foot away from crashing into the wall.

I only allowed myself a split-second to recover from the landing before I spun around with all my strength, kicking him in the side of his chin as he turned to face me. He slammed hard into the rock wall, but managed to recover more quickly than I would have liked and countered with a hard kick to my chest, sending me sprawling on my back gasping for air. I knew I did not have time to lay there and catch my breath and rolled out of the way a split second before his katana drove into the ground where I had been laying.

Getting to my feet, I stood ready, panting as I struggled to regain my breath and fight back. He dashed in, relentlessly attacking, his katana cutting through the air with blinding speed that drew many bloody scratches across my skin. I had only managed to strike him once so far and I knew that it was not a good sign.

Deep down, I knew I was better than him. He was merely a copy, granted an Elemental copy, but only a copy nonetheless and copies were never as good as the original. He had been tough before only because he was an Elemental and I had not been expecting it, but that should not have mattered now.

I had been readying myself for this moment ever since his return and his Elemental strength should not have been a problem for me now that I had the Star of the Elements at full power around my neck. Then I realized that I had momentarily forgotten about the amulet I wore and that my twin did not know I was wearing it. Chimitsu's sisters said that I was as close to an Elemental as a mortal could possibly be and with the Star in my hands, then I had to have the same amount of strength as a pure Elemental.

With that comforting thought in mind, I began to feel my strength grow and shoved Mad Jack back to give myself some breathing room. There was a flicker of surprise in his eyes a second before I sprang in, slashing with as much speed as I could summon and tearing into him several times. Soon, his shirt and jeans were full of tears revealing slashes that went deep into his skin beneath.

Again our blades crossed between us, coming dangerously close to our necks as we stared each other down and waited to see who would give first. We shoved each other apart at the same time and ran towards the wall, springing off back towards the other with our katanas raised high above our heads. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as we flew through the air towards each other, waiting for the right moment to bring my katana down upon him.

A few seconds later, we landed with our backs to each other and there was a moment of silence before I felt the hot blood trickling down towards my hip from a wound in my side. He had not come away unscathed, either, though, with blood trickling down his arm from where I had struck him near the shoulder. We were still seemingly matched in skill and knowledge, for every move he made, I could counter, and every move I made, he could counter.

All this time, however, I had not felt him use the link between us and wondered if he had chosen not to for the sake of knowing that he could easily predict my moves without it. If that was his plan, then it could possibly be used to my advantage since I had learned a few things since my arrival here in the future. I had no idea what sort of training he might have done before now, but I was not about to let myself worry about it.

We circled each other, waiting for the other to strike first as we tried to calculate what the other was going to do. I chose to leap in first, striking over and over again in a flash, sending sparks flying about the stone cavern we were in. I pushed him back before he growled and returned the attack, striking as quickly as I had, sending even more sparks flying about the room to dance across the stone floor.

I could feel myself tiring even faster now, though he had hardly begun to break a sweat and I knew it could take him awhile before he even came close to tiring. By that time, I would be dust if I did not find a way to finish this soon and that was not a chance I was going to take. He slammed his blade down onto mine, pushing me down almost onto my knees on the floor as he leaned over me with all his weight.

Growing tired of these games with him, I pushed back and lashed out with my right foot, catching him in the chin with a resounding crack that sent him back onto the ground again. His katana fell out of his hands and clattered a few feet away out of his reach and I wasted no time in leaping forward to run him through before he could get to it. However, he was quicker and rolled out of the way, leaving me to drive my katana into the stone floor where it stuck and stuck good.

I tried to pull it out before he could get his katana and finish it in his favor, but apparently he had other plans. A sharp elbow to the side of my face knocked me away from my own weapon and spun me almost into the wall. I caught myself just in time to keep from bashing my face into the stone, but unfortunately, that gave Mad Jack just enough time to rip my blade from the stone and catch me from behind with my arms pinned to my side and my own katana at my neck.

I struggled as best I could, but I knew that if he so wished it, he could finish it in the blink of an eye.

"You just don't know when to give up, do you, futago?" he asked, jerking hard with the arm pinning my arms.

"You would like that, would you not? You would love to take my head while I am down or begging for mercy."

"Of course. Nothing would please me more than to see you reduced to pitiful begging, to see you dishonored before the eyes of your beloved angel."

"I have news for you, futago. I am not going to be giving you such pleasure."

In a flash, I kicked up with my left foot and slammed the ball of my foot into his face. He roared in pain as his nose broke with the force of the kick and I felt his arms drop away. My katana clattered to the ground as he dropped it in favor of holding his nose and I wasted no time in snatching it up before he could recover.

I spun it around in my hand and advanced towards him, watching as he stepped back, still trying to stop the flow of blood. Hatred burned in his eyes as he summoned his katana to his hand and took a blind swipe at me, aiming for my head. I jerked back out of the way, but felt the sharp sting as the tip grazed my cheek, sending a thin trail of blood down towards my jaw.

A sadistic grin spread across his face and at the same time, we swung up with opposite feet, kicking our respective katanas from our hands. His flew into a wall, while mine skittered over near where Chimitsu was hiding, still watching us from behind some rocks. Disarmed for the moment, both Mad Jack and I knew that it was down to barehanded combat now, something we neither one were strangers to.

He did not give me much of a chance to attack first, coming in with fists flying in all directions, forcing me to block until I could get an opening in which to attack through. I caught a punch aimed towards my face and forced it down, blocking the one that followed it and forcing that one down as well, feeling him try to push me away. I held on tightly, pushing back, staring him down once again and seeing the same hatred burning in his eyes.

If I had been able to give it much thought, I would have found it eerie to see my face contorted in such a hateful expression.

We gripped each other's hands with a steel grip, frozen in combat for the moment, both tiring as we tried to get the upper hand on the other. Sweat beaded on my forehead and trailed down my cheeks until it dripped off my chin, stinging in the cut on my face. I had to break away from this death grip before it exhausted me to the point of collapse.

It no longer mattered what sort of combat we chose, whether it was empty handed or with weapons, I knew that I would soon tire out and could ill afford to allow that. He was toying with me, trying to wear me down when he knew that I was tired from the last four fights with his fellow Dark Elementals. He did not care that he had lost Eki or the others, they were merely a means of wearing me down so he could kill me himself if Aku would allow it.

My muscles burned with fatigue and I could feel my legs start to give way beneath his powerful grip, though I struggled to stay upright. I would have to make my move and make it now before it was too late. I pulled my head back and slammed my forehead into his broken nose, forcing him to let go of me to deal with a double dose of pain while I broke free.

I did not give him a chance to recover again and leapt into the air over his head as he staggered back holding his nose. Without hesitation, I snapped out my left leg into the back of his head, sending him sprawling facedown on the pavement. He lay there for a few seconds, stunned, but I did not pause to catch my breath or let him recover, dashing immediately to reclaim my fallen katana.

I could hear him pull himself to his feet behind me and run towards where his katana was stuck in the wall, ripping it violently from the stone. He was not going to waste any time in cutting me down if he was able to catch me with my back turned and I knew it. Everything seemed to slow down until it was moving in slow motion as I dashed towards my katana where it lay on the stone floor.

Slowly, my hand closed around the handle and I gripped it tight, hearing my double's thundering footsteps as he ran towards me. The sound pounded in my ears along with my heartbeat and I listened closely, calculating the distance between him in my head as I slowly lifted my katana from the ground. Soon, all I could feel was the adrenaline burning in my veins and felt the sweat slowly trickle down my face as I closed both hands around the handle of my katana.

I could hear him behind me, only a few feet away now and changed the grip on my blade, switching it from right to left. He was right there behind me now and I could almost see in my mind his furious expression as he raised his katana high above his head to cut me down. His anger blinded him and he had made a mistake that would cost him everything.

In a flash, I spun around, striking lefthandedly to the side with all the strength I had left in me. For a moment, I thought I had missed somehow and all I could hear was the thundering sound of my pulse in my ears. Both of us were frozen there in time for a few seconds before Mad Jack's expression changed to one of utter surprise and shock and I realized that I had managed to wound him fatally.

A split-second after that, he turned to dust and the dark duplicate of my katana clattered to the ground, seeming to lose some of its power with the loss of its owner. With the loss of my double, I felt as if something slammed into my soul, something I did not realize until now had ever been missing from me and I fell to my knees, letting my own katana slip from my hand. I ached all over and every breath I took burned in my lungs as I struggled to catch my breath.

Chimitsu-chan was out of her hiding spot and at my side in a hurry, kneeling down beside me to support me.

"Minamoto-chan, are you all right!" she cried.

"I...I will be. I...am...just...a bit tired."

She wrapped her arms around me and let me lean against her shoulder before wrapping her wings around me as well. I was too tired to protest when I felt her tear the top half of my kimono off and her healing magic begin to take effect, closing my wounds. I felt relieved now that my dark twin was gone, feeling the connection gone and my spirit whole once again.

I did not move as Chimitsu did her work, allowing myself to relax for a few minutes there in her arms while she healed me. We could afford such a luxury now that the five Dark Elementals had been destroyed, but only one last thing remained for us now. Yes, Aku was that last thing, the only being remaining between us and the completion of our quest now.

Slowly, I opened my eyes and peeked over her right wing, feeling more than a little relaxed within the comforting field of her healing energies. The moment I opened them, I saw the last of Chimitsu's sisters standing there in spirit form, free from the spell that bound her essence to mine in the recreation of my dark twin. Hirame smiled and scratched the ears of her white tiger companion behind its ears, causing it to flick its tail and lean into it.

I returned the smile as she gave a bow and disappeared, knowing that the four of them could now be reborn the moment Aku had been destroyed at my hands. A strange kind of excitement filled my chest at the thought of finally completing this quest and restoring things to order for Chimitsu and her sisters. Yet a part of me felt oddly bittersweet inside, knowing just how many had given their lives to see the two of us come all this way.

I could not let them down or I could never forgive myself, knowing that they died in vain because I could not do my duty.

I stared at the spot where Hirame had been standing and sighed a little, closing my eyes again under Chimitsu's gentle healing touch.

_Be free, Hirame, and join your sisters in rebirth..._


	52. Gojuuichi: Hour Of Darkness, Part 2

**Mad Jack**

Lord Aku whirled around from watching his magic screen showing the fight with Eki and gave me a solid glare that sent a chill down my spine. I knew what he was thinking now that Ekirei had met her end at the samurai's hands. I didn't have any choice now but to face them and kill them both myself if I could.

If I didn't, then it would be Lord Aku himself who sent me to my end and that wasn't something I wanted. I'd been to the Pit of Hate enough times to know what became of those who'd failed him and had no intention whatsoever of me becoming one of them. If I was to fall this night, I would rather it be at the hands of my original than him.

Even though he had summoned me back into his presence, I was beginning to get the feeling that Lord Aku intended for me to fall at the hands of my original anyhow, and that this was just an incentive for me to go. He didn't have any further use for me now that I'd failed so many times before that it was a double-or-nothing situation now. I either destroyed my original and regained his favor or I would die at Minamoto's hands.

I knew that it didn't matter now what I did, whether I went or stayed, I was a dead man either way. It was possible to at least overpower my original, but not Lord Aku. He held my very life in his slimy claws and if he saw fit to destroy me, he could.

Perhaps he had intended all along to send us to our deaths fighting my original for him.

The Dark Elemental Circle was broken now and useless without Eki and the other three. I was the only one left to fight Minamoto now and while I hated my original with everything I was worth, I didn't know whether or not this fight was worth my life any more. Perhaps upon first reawakening, I would have gladly fought to the end for Aku, but it was becoming more and more apparent that I didn't have a future in his service, Minamoto or not.

Even if I managed to destroy my original, there was the distinct possibility that Aku would simply destroy me later when he grew tired of my failures or I'd lived out my usefulness to him. My only chance for survival now rested on destroying Minamoto and escaping to live as a fugitive running from Aku's service. It wasn't much of a life, but it sure as hell beat the Pit or death by the demon's hands.

I watched as he swirled into his Elemental form and walked over to me, eyes sparking with cold fury. He was pissed at the loss of the others and I knew it, and now that anger was going to come down on my shoulders. I'd be exceptionally lucky if he didn't kill me on the spot just to be done with it and deal with the samurai himself.

"Never send a woman to do a man's job. Fools, the lot of them, and they have all proven their worthlessness against the samurai. Will you bring me the samurai's head or should I destroy you now?" he asked, pressing the blade of his bisento up under my chin.

I coolly stared him down, unafraid of the blade that was pressed to my throat even though it could kill me in an instant if he saw fit. I didn't intend to fail, but there was always the possibility, especially now that Minamoto had the activated Star of the Elements within his possession. No, he wouldn't kill me now and fight my original so soon.

He wanted to see me fail before facing the white samurai.

Reaching up, I pushed the blade of the bisento away from my throat, tiring of his games and threats. It wouldn't get him anywhere to threaten me, much less encourage me to fight harder for his cause. I could see that he was not happy with my reaction, but I didn't care, not if it meant that I was going to die for him today.

"Destroying me now won't bring you the white samurai's head, my lord. If I fail to kill Minamoto, then he'll kill me and you'll no longer have to deal with my failures. Either way, you win." I remarked slyly.

For a moment, he appeared to consider what I'd said. I may have hated him in that moment, but I wasn't stupid enough to show him just how little I cared for his cause. A second after that thoughtful look had crossed his face, he wheeled around and leaned on his bisento.

"That may be true, but do not think for a moment that I would not consider destroying you if I thought you might not be entirely supportive of this." he warned.

"I wouldn't be going into battle for you if I didn't support you, my lord."

"Good. Keep it that way."

I gave a short bow, even though he couldn't see it, just out of habit and for the sheer formality of it. He began to walk out of the room and I raised my head slightly, giving a glare in his direction. Perhaps I couldn't destroy him myself, but if I survived the encounter with Minamoto, he'd do the job for me and all that'd be left between me and freedom was my damned original.

Chimitsu was of little consequence to me at this point. She wasn't anything more than Eki's original and expendable if it came to that. Delicious as she looked, she wasn't my type and I didn't want to see her seek me out in hopes of restoring the Light Elemental Circle.

Far as I was concerned, it didn't matter whether either Circle was restored or whether the planet was plunged into chaos as a result of the imbalance. So long as I was free, I didn't care what happened to the rest of the world or the other so-called Elementals. Eki had been a wild, exotic treat while it had lasted, but she had failed for the last time and all I'd miss of her was the wild sex and that I could get anywhere if I wanted, especially looking like Minamoto as I did.

There were plenty of women who'd give their right arm for a chance to do the white samurai and I knew it.

Once Lord Aku had left the room for his meditation chamber, I straightened my leather jacket and headed on down to where Minamoto and his little angel were no doubt headed at that very moment. It'd certainly taken them long enough and I'd been growing bored waiting for them to show up. As I neared the room where I was to face them, I could sense that they were already there, but hadn't been waiting long.

It was time to give them a greeting they wouldn't soon forget.

"About time you two showed up! I was beginning to think you weren't coming." I snapped as I stepped into the room.

"I do not see how you could ever have any doubt that I would forget about _you_, futago. I would not have missed this for the world."

"Good! Then there's no reason to waste any more time talking, eh?"

He didn't answer, reaching to his left and withdrawing his katana from its scabbard that hung at his hip, holding it in front of him in a ready posture, which suited me just fine. I smirked and slid the leather jacket down off my shoulders before tossing it aside near the rocks. Slowly, I drew my katana from the special belt holster at my hip and held it in a ready position of my own.

I was going to enjoy every last fuckin' minute of this, especially if it ended in my original's death.

Without any further words, we charged towards each other, katanas clashing between us and sending up showers of sparks each time they met. I knew that we were usually evenly matched, but now that he'd gone and activated the Star of the Elements, he felt stronger. I didn't know if he or his little angel had it now, but it didn't matter when its power had harmonzied with him.

This was going to be a very interesting fight now that he wasn't the weak mortal he was the last time I'd fought him. He was going to be tougher to kill, that was certain, but I didn't really care. If I could manage to kill him when he possessed the power of the Star, then that would only ensure that I would regain Lord Aku's favor and be able to escape to freedom all the more quickly.

He began to fight harder and I grinned, letting him strike my katana and back me up towards the wall, pretending to let him get the upper hand. I knew that he knew I was only toying with him, but didn't care that he knew, waiting for the right moment. The moment he paused and appeared to let his guard down, I struck like lightning, backing him up towards the wall.

I could tell he was looking for a way out, but I wasn't about to let him go anywhere but backwards or through me. I knew that if I trapped him, it'd be certain death for him and even without being able to sense his thoughts along our connection, I knew my original well enough to know that he wasn't about to allow that. I raised my katana overhead and slammed it down onto his as hard as I could, watching as he dug his heels into the dirt, pushing back with as much strength as a mortal of his power was able to.

As expected, I was only able to push him back a few inches before he was able to stop my forward momentum. I chuckled low in my throat as he appeared to give beneath the weight I was pushing down upon his blade, knowing that if this was all he had to give, then he wasn't worth my time after all. As I was beginning to think that this was all too easy, he suddenly pushed up and forward, knocking me off balance onto my back.

I gave a roar as I flipped back onto my feet, watching as he took off running towards the wall opposite where we were standing. I didn't waste a second before taking pursuit, chasing him clear across the room towards the wall, wondering if the fool wasn't going to throw himself into the stone. To his credit, he dashed up the wall, forcing me to stop before I became the one to smash into it, halting my forward movement just inches away from the wall.

My original had already flipped over my head before I had recovered and I turned to face him before he had a chance to strike me from behind. Instead, his foot slammed into the side of my jaw and sent me facefirst into the wall with a snarl of momentary pain. I forced myself up onto my feet and whirled around to kick him in the chest, knocking him onto his back before following with an overhead stab to finish him off before he'd had a chance to recover.

Unfortunately, he was faster than I'd hoped and my katana drove into the stone where he'd been laying a moment before. I tugged it free as he got to his feet before leaping in at him again, striking rapidly before he could recover enough to block properly. He was tiring and I watched as my katana scratched over his skin repeatedly, drawing more and more blood with each strike.

He kept trying to block and counter, but I wouldn't let him. I knew how it had to anger him to know that a copy of himself was kicking his ass and that made it all the more delicious for me. If this was all the power of the Star of the Elements could give him, then I didn't really want to waste any more time than I had to.

Sure, he was stronger than the last time we'd met, but not much. He must not have had the Star activated at the moment or I knew he'd be more than a match for me. If he was foolish enough to not have it activated, then it was all the more to my advantage.

A split second after this thought crossed my mind, he pushed up and shoved me back a few steps with surprising strength. I allowed myself only a moment of surprise, but that was enough for him to take the opportunity to attack with unexpected speed. I hissed through clenched teeth as his katana bit into my arms and legs over and over again, reducing my shirt and jeans to little more than tattered shreds.

I managed to get an opening and slashed at him, not caring that he'd managed to block in a shower of sparks. Our twin katanas were crossed between us, the edges dangerously close to our necks as they'd been many times before when we had fought. A second later, we shoved apart and turned, dashing towards opposite walls, running up and springing off them, rocketing back towards each other for a midair collision.

We landed a second later, both on our feet on the stone and there was a moment of silence in which I wondered if I'd struck him or he'd struck me. I could feel hot blood rolling down my arm towards my elbow and knew he'd struck me, but I knew I'd struck him, too. I turned towards him to see him holding his side, where he was bleeding, but I could tell that I hadn't struck him as deeply as I'd hoped.

Our eyes met and I knew that he had to know that I couldn't use the link between us because now that he'd activated the Star, it burned me whenever I tried. Damn the Light Elemental for her interference. This'd be so much easier if she hadn't intervened and now I had to rely on all the training I'd done while he'd been with her, activating the Star.

We circled each other and I watched his eyes, trying to guess what he was going to do and who'd strike first. He beat me to it, striking over and over again, sending sparks flying about the stone cavern and dancing across the polished floor. He pushed me back before I growled and returned the attack, striking as quickly as he'd done, sending even more sparks dancing about the room, illuminating us in a flash of hellfire each time our blades met.

I could see that he was tiring and I'd hardly begun to break a sweat, much less tire. I knew that it'd take me awhile to get even half as tired as he was at that moment and knew that the first four fights had worn him down, which meant that Eki and the others had a use in their final moments after all. I slammed my blade down hard onto his, forcing him down almost onto his kneees until I was nearly leaning over him.

With a sudden burst of strength, he shoved me back and lashed out with his right foot, slamming the front of his sandal into my chin with a loud crack. I spun around and landed on my stomach on the ground, my katana clattering out of my hands a few feet away. Even though I was still stunned, I could hear him dashing forward to run me through and I quickly rolled out of the way, letting his blade bite into the stone floor instead of my gut.

He tried to pull it out, but I could tell that he wasn't strong enough and took advantage of it with an elbow to the side of his face, knocking him away from the weapon. I watched him spin around and almost crash into the wall before dashing forward to snap up the weapon before he could recover. The moment he'd regained his balance, I caught him around the waist with one arm, pinning his arms down, and used the other hand to bring his own katana up to his neck.

He struggled, but I didn't care. I enjoyed it, knowing that all it would take was one slash across the neck and it'd be over. The irony of knowing that I was about to kill him with his own katana was not lost on me at all, making this even more enjoyable for me.

"You just don't know when to give up, do you, futago?" I asked, jerking hard with the arm pinning his arms.

"You would like that, would you not? You would love to take my head while I am down or begging for mercy."

"Of course. Nothing would please me more than to see you reduced to pitiful begging, to see you dishonored before the eyes of your beloved angel."

"I have news for you, futago. I am not going to be giving you such pleasure."

Before I could react, he kicked up with his left foot, slamming the ball into my nose. I roared as I felt it break and stumbled back, dropping the katana and my original as I reached up to try and stop the flow of blood. I wasn't a healer by a long shot, but it would close soon enough, even though I'd just given my original the opening he needed.

He reclaimed his katana and spun it around in his hand as he advanced, watching as I stepped back, still trying to regenerate my broken nose. I was going to make him pay and summoned my katana to my free hand before slashing at him point blank. He jerked out of the way in time, but I'd still struck him, seeing a thin line of blood trickling down his cheek where the point of my blade had grazed him.

I grinned nastily and at the same time, we kicked up, sending our respective blades flying from our hands. Mine buried itself into one of the stone walls, while his skittered across the stone floor towards where his angel had hidden herself and was still watching from behind a rock. I looked back to him and grinned, knowing that we weren't unaccustomed to fighting empty handedly, as ready for it as he was.

I wasn't about to let him attack first this time and dashed in, punching furiously, forcing him to block. I threw one punch and then another, watching as he blocked them both as quickly as I'd thrown them. Instead of backing up and letting go, I pushed forward, trying to push him away from me, but he hung on tightly, staring me down as intensely as I'd been glaring at him.

I hated him with every pore of my being and I could tell that it'd unnerved him to see his face wearing an expression of such hatred. I enjoyed seeing his discomfort and leaned in closer, grinning nastily in hopes that he'd lose his concentration and his grip. Nothing would please me more than to see him falter so I could be rid of him and his little angel once and for all.

For the moment, however, we'd remained in the same position, both an equal match to the other, unable to gain any ground on the other. I began to feel the exertion wear on me, but not as much as it was wearing on my original. He was covered in cuts and bruises from previous fights and the sweat rolled down his brow, his breathing heavy with exhaustion.

He was tiring rapidly now, losing his strength with each second that ticked by and I knew that he'd had to be regretting not letting his angel heal him before coming to fight me. It wasn't my concern, though, only his loss, and one that would cost him dearly if he continued to try and overpower me with strength alone. So long as he was tiring and I was relatively unexhausted in terms of energy, he didn't have a chance.

His legs were shaking, just barely keeping him upright as I continued to press down, trying to force him to his knees. I could hardly contain the anticipation that'd been rising in my chest, knowing just how close I was to destroying him. Just a few more seconds and it'd all be over and I'd be reporting a victory to Lord Aku.

Yet he had more guts than I'd taken him to have and he slammed his forehead into my healing nose, shattering it once again.

I roared and staggered back, holding my nose again, swearing profusely under my breath at the knowledge that he'd broken it again in such a short period of time. I heard him spring into the air overhead a second before his foot connected with the back of my head, sending me sprawling down onto the stone floor again. I groaned and lay there, feeling my head reeling from the blow, unable to pull myself up to my feet right away.

Damn him! I'd had him and I knew it, but he'd still managed to get the upper hand so quickly. This wasn't good at all and I knew it, which meant that I'd have to regain control of the situation or die trying. Anything to avoid Aku's wrath and the Pit of Hate.

I forced myself up onto my feet and ripped my katana from the stone wall where it had imbedded itself earlier, turning to rush towards him. He'd turned his back to me in favor of reclaming his own katana, a move I knew would be fatal for him. I dashed forwards towards him with my katana in hand, grinning in the anticipation of cutting him down before he'd had a chance to strike.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion as I ran towards him, feeling his desperation as I drew near. I'd longed for this moment, to see him fall beneath my blade and leave this world forever. There wasn't going to be any escape for him this time, none whatsoever.

As I neared, he swung around with such speed that I hadn't a chance to see the blow coming, much less feel it. For a second, I stood there in shock, not certain what had just happened when he'd turned around. A second after that, I felt an incredible pain rush through my body to the very core, like what I'd felt when he'd returned from the Light Elemental's castle, only increased a hundredfold.

I couldn't believe it. He'd swung around point blank and sliced me in half with his katana so quickly that I hadn't seen or felt it. A second after that, another, more intense pain ripped through my agonized body and then...

Oblivion...


	53. Gojuuni: Fallen Angel

AN: The song in this chapter isn't mine. It's from the anime movie "Ninja Scroll", though who sings it, I haven't a clue. I just know what anime it's from. I did take the time to find the lyrics and translate it though. :P

After a few moments of being safely curled up in Chimitsu's healing embrace, I felt my wounds close completely and my energies return in full. Slowly, she let me go and we stood, looking to where Mad Jack's katana had fallen. It lay there and had not turned to dust as Eki's nodachi had upon her death.

I furrowed my brow and watched as it disappeared at last, fading away into nothingness like its owner. I took in a slow breath and sighed, knowing what we had to do now. We had fought all this way up through the ranks of Aku's elite Dark Elementals and now only the demon himself stood in the way of attaining our goal.

Taking in another slow, deep breath, I looked to Chimitsu and nodded. There was no need for an exchange of words when we both knew what had to be done now. Sheathing my own katana at my hip, I followed her through the corridors and up to the top of Aku's fortress to meet with the demon himself.

No doubt, he was going to be in his Elemental form and not wasting his magic in a shapeshift, meaning he was going to be in his most powerful form. It was going to be a difficult fight, I knew, but with two of us, it was not going to be as bad as it could be. So far, I had not needed to use the Star of the Elements and wondered if I ever would.

I silently berated myself for doubing the necessity of the amulet I now wore around my neck. Of course I had not needed it thus far, not when I had been fighting Aku's creations and not himself. They were obviously far weaker than I knew him to be and easily defeated, unlike the demon himself as I remembered the many previous battles with him.

Chimitsu walked silently beside me with her nodachi sheathed upon her back between her wings, looking relatively calm considering the battle we were about to head into. I could see in her eyes, though, that she was very nervous, perhaps even more nervous than I was. Of course, she had every right to be when the last time she met up with Aku, he had nearly torn her wings right off her back.

No doubt, it was not a memory she cared to think about.

The closer we neared the demon's lair, the more of a heavy, thick, evil aura hung in the air. I did not like feeling such an overwhelming sense of evil, but we had to pass through it to get to its source. I was all too familiar with this particular aura, having felt it many, many times before whenever I had drawn near to where Aku had been lurking.

Oddly enough, the only time I had failed to sense such an aura was when he had taken the form of Ikra. Perhaps it had been because I had not been expecting it and that I had assumed she was helping me as she had appeared to be. Nevertheless, it was the one and only time that Aku had ever managed to fool even the most acute of my senses.

It did not take us long to reach a large room that was filled with fiery orange and red rock structures, much like the one I had first battled him in before he sent me to this future. There was a deep pit stretching at the edge of a rock cliff, but he was nowhere to be found in any form. I furrowed my brow and found this to be rather odd, knowing that he would not have kept us waiting, but would have been ready for us by the time we arrived.

I came to a stop and looked around cautiously, waiting for him to launch an attack out of nowhere at us like Eki had, but none came. This room was heavy with the presence of evil, thick and choking like some sort of sickening fog, but still no sign of the demon. I began to get an uneasy feeling about this and briefly considered waiting to fight him another day away from his home turf, although it was a foolish thought that I quickly cast aside.

"Chimitsu-chan, I..."

I paused before I could finish the sentence, finding that Chimitsu was nowhere to be found. I knew that she had been at my side just moments before and could not have gone very far, but she was not within sight. Slowly, I drew my katana from where it hung at my hip, knowing that she would not have gone into hiding without telling me so, which meant that the demon was indeed here and had somehow spirited her away before I had realized she was gone.

Every muscle in my body tensed as I waited for the inevitable attack, trying to force down the growing fear that Chimitsu might already be dead. A sickening feeling tightened in the pit of my stomach as I thought that we had fought so long and hard, only to lose her now before we had begun the real final fight. Before it had overtaken me with fear, I forced it back and steeled my nerves, knowing that even if Chimitsu was lost, nothing would be gained until the demon was destroyed.

A shrill, unearthly cry came from behind me and I wheeled around, coming face to face with Aku himself. I instinctively blocked with my katana as its dark twin came down from over his head and pushed me back a few feet. I was mildly surprised to see that he was not in his Elemental form, but the usual demon form I always faced.

It was strange, but I had expected him to take his more powerful Elemental form when fighting this final battle with us.

His attacks were powerfully relentless, jarring me with each strike that slammed into my katana as he forced me back towards the edge of the cliff dropping into kami-only-knew-where. It was not a chance I wanted to take and I let him push me back before pushing up and slamming the hilt of my katana into his chin. He roared in pain as he stumbled back and I furrowed my brow, finding this strange as well.

Since when was I able to hurt Aku in any form with just a single punch?

I decided to ignore it since I had not really been able to ever hit Aku with a punch before, only struck him with my katana. If my enchanted blade was able to hurt him because of my purity and Elemental influence, then perhaps even a mere punch would hurt him just as much. Again I struck, sending him a few feet back and keeping myself away from the edge of the cliff that was certain death if I ever allowed myself to fall over it.

Before I was able to leap forward and bring my blade down upon him, he regained his wits and brought his katana up to block. Sparks flew violently, even moreso than in the last battle with Mad Jack, showering the room like a fireworks display. Metal scraped against metal as we pushed against each other, our blades crossed between us as we glared into each other's eyes.

Pure hatred reflected back at me from those black eyes as we stood there in a standoff, both of us trying to push the other away. He was enjoying every minute of this, of knowing that he had stolen Chimitsu from right under my very nose while I was looking the other way. I had not seen her since moments before we had stepped into this room and I began to wonder where he could have taken her so quickly.

"What have you done with Chimitsu?" I snarled at him.

"Your little angel?"

"You know who I am talking about."

"You should never have taken your eyes from her, samurai. The moment you did, she was mine for the taking and you will never see her again."

This was more than I could bear and I shoved him back as hard as I could, following with a quick snap kick to his face. He hissed loudly between his teeth as he fell back before swinging around with a spinning roundhouse that just narrowly missed my face. I instinctively ducked back before rushing in with my katana again.

Over and over again, our blades met, sending sparks flying across the room each time from the sheer force of our blows. My heart pounded in my chest with the ferocity of the battle, striking at him with lightning speed over and over again. He was strong, yes, but he somehow did not seem as strong as I had thought he would be.

Perhaps it was just my imagination and he did not seem as strong because I had the power of the Star of the Elements within me, boosting the Elemental power I naturally had within my spirit. It made sense, after all. The last time I had fought him was before Chimitsu and I had even met and long before I had harnessed the power of the Star within me.

Knowing that that had to be the reason why Aku did not seem so strong this time, I dashed in again, slashing furiously with renewed strength. His face contorted into an expression of frustration and rage and he returned the attack with as much ferocity as I dished it out with. I snarled as his blade clipped me along the upper arm, but ignored the pain in favor of countering the attack.

Several times, I drew slashes across his body, watching as they regenerated themselves sluggishly. There was no typical sound of burning as I struck him, but so long as the wounds closed slowly from the clash of essences, then that was enough for me. I was not entirely certain that I would be able to get in an opening long enough to make a direct hit, but perhaps I would be able to slowly wear him down instead, strike by strike.

He circled me carefully, his eyes calculating my next move as we watched each other, holding our blades ready. With a hiss and a sudden half-step forward, he swiped at me, trying to bait me into attacking first. I tensed, but did not fall for it, making my own careful feint in hopes that he would think I had fallen for his faked attack.

A snarl curled up around his sharp fangs as he swiped at me again, a little closer than before and I felt the breeze of the strike ruffle past the underside of my forearm. I furrowed my brow, but did not try to make another swipe at him, knowing that this little game could go on for a very long time, time that the others outside did not have to spare. Instead, I circled carefully, waiting for the right moment to leap in and strike while he was still focusing on these mind games.

The moment he made another slash at me, I dove in and slashed in a sideways strike, cutting him diagonally from hip to shoulder. It was not fatally deep, but it was enough for blood to trickle down before the wound closed itself shut. He pressed a hand to his chest and stood there for a moment before spinning his katana around in his hand and advancing again.

I knew that I had struck him hard enough to slow him down, but with that regenerating ability, it would take me a long time to stop him. I knew that from personal experience. No matter how many times I could hit him with my katana, he would either keep coming back or eventually run away like a coward whenever it began to get overwhelming for him.

This time, however, I knew that he would not be running away when he was as tired of this cat and mouse game as I was.

I waited for the strike to come, knowing in my heart that he was going to finish this fight with a sword duel and not with magic tricks. It was a very rare show of honor for him and probably as close as I could get to honor where Aku was concerned. However, he was hardly one to be underestimated and he thrust out his hand palm first, throwing a wall of pure energy at me.

Head over heels over and over again, I flew through the air, spinning dizzily from the blast until I impacted with the ground. I bounced a few times and rolled along on my side until I came to a stop near the wall. I pushed myself to my feet and took a brief moment to shake away the dizziness before pulling myself back up onto my feet.

Looking back towards Aku, I saw him smiling sadistically at having thrown me across the room like a ragdoll and tightened my grip upon the handle of my katana. I tensed, watching him for a moment before dashing in with a roar, slashing furiously over and over again. Sparks flew violently as our blades met, left, up, right, down, left, up, right, down, left, left, over and over again.

I pushed him back against the floor towards the edge of the cliff, although I knew that dropping him into the pit would not kill him. I brought my katana down upon his blade with another roar, pushing him back until his heels were just inches away from the edge. I pushed down with all my strength, panting hard, feeling the sweat trickle down my face and neck, feeling pure fury boiling in my veins and driving me to fight him even harder.

"Why...do...you...not..._die_!" he snarled.

"Never! Not until this planet is free!"

He roared and swung violently at my head, forcing me to block. I barely managed, and the force knocked me over onto my back. He wasted no time in jumping in to strike while I was down, but I had no intention of falling to him so quickly.

I rolled to the side as his katana bit into the ground and rolled back, swinging up with a hard kick that snapped his head back and nearly landed him on his rear as he had done to me. He stumbled back and I leapt to my feet, swinging at him while he was trying to regain his balance. A loud roar of pain cut through the air as my katana slashed across his arm, sending a few drops of black blood onto the floor before he swiped low, cutting me across the top of my thigh.

Ignoring the sting and hot trickle of blood that followed, I gave another roar and slashed at him again repeatedly, tearing a long cut across his chest. He snarled and growled low in frustration before taking another violent swipe at my head. I ducked this time and felt the ribbon holding my hair back in its topknot fall away to the floor, leaving my hair to fall about my bare, bruised shoulders.

He grinned nastily a second before my blade tore along his leg, bringing a howl of pain from his lips and a hard punch to my jaw. I hissed through my teeth as my head snapped to my side before spinning around with my katana in hand, almost cutting him in two. If he had not leapt back, I likely would have.

I could see that he was tiring now, perhaps even panicking, but stubbornly refusing to not run this time. That was fine with me. I did not want to have to wait for him to appear again or chase him about this forsaken planet of death and destruction.

If he faced me down in this fight to the death, then it would do us both a favor and save us the trouble of hunting each other.

The Star of the Elements bounced against my chest repeatedly as I slashed at him again and again, feeling faintly warm against my bare skin. A quick swipe nearly struck the thin chain that held it around my neck, but by some miracle, it narrowly missed it. My collarbone, on the other hand, was not so lucky and I felt another warm trickle of blood make a trail down my chest.

My muscles ached and my heart pounded furiously in my chest, sending the searing adrenaline pulsing through my veins. Yet, even with all that, I could feel myself tiring with each moment that ticked by. Chimitsu's healing powers could only heal my wounds and regain part of my strength from exhaustion, but not all of it.

I was going to need some rest very soon and there was no possible chance that Aku would allow it. This fight had to end as quickly as possible and I knew it. If I failed to end it now, then I would wear down faster than I did before and I would be left defenseless before my worst enemy at the worst possible time.

We pushed apart and I stood there, panting heavily with exhaustion. My katana felt like a dead weight in my hands and my arms trembled with the effort of simply keeping the weapon held in a defensive position before me. The two of us stared at each other for a few moments with our weapons raised before us, knowing exactly what we had to do now.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion as we ran towards each other, bringing our blades back for the final kill. This was going to be it. One of us was going to die here today, right now, the very moment we collided and I prayed silently to the kami that it would not be me.

I felt as if I was watching myself from the side while instinct took over my body as we drew within striking distance of each other. My hands seemed to move of their own will as they thrust forward, ramming the blade of my katana into his stomach almost up to the hilt. For a brief second, there was nothing but silence and our eyes met for a fleeting moment before his expression changed to one of pure shock and surprise.

I felt a moment of relief and triumph when I realized that I had managed to run him through first, but it was shortlived when I saw his face start to melt into something else.

Slowly, Aku's face melted away, revealing that it was not the demon I held impaled upon my katana, but my very own dear Chimitsu-chan instead. Her nodachi was held overhead and her face frozen in a dumbfounded expression of shock and astonishment. A sickening feeling of horror at the sight of my katana buried in her midsection closed around the pit of my stomach, turning my blood to ice as I tried to speak, but found my words frozen in my throat.

For one agonizing moment, our eyes met, and I could see the brilliance of the twin orbs of emerald begin to darken. I took a couple of shaky steps backwards away from her, pulling my katana with me, finding that my hands were refusing to obey my mind and let go of it. I swallowed hard at the sickeningly wet sound that followed, feeling helplessly frozen in place with shock.

"Ge...Genji..."1 she choked out, almost too softly for me to hear.

I took another few steps back, the shock slowly giving way to panic and dread as Chimitsu-chan's nodachi slipped from her hands, clattering noisily upon the stone floor. A wet gurgle escaped her lips along with a thin trickle of blood before she collapsed to her knees and then to her side, the blood slowly pooling beneath her. Normally, such a wound would have been easy for her to recover from, but when she had healed a previous wound like it, plus my injuries from fighting the five Dark Elementals, her magic was strained and it was impossible for her to heal herself quickly enough this time.

Ice cold horror seemed to choke off my air as I realized that my beloved Chimitsu...was dying.

I stared at her fallen form for a second, barely acknowledging the fact that she had just spoken my real name, much less the shadow that was slowly growing just beyond where she lay. Slowly, it took the demon form of Aku, who held the dark twin of my katana at his side. Twisted delight and malice sparkled in his black, demonic eyes as his gaze fell upon the fallen Chimitsu and he began to laugh hideously in sick victory over the last of the Light Elementals.

"At last! The last of the Light Elementals has finally fallen and I owe it all to _you_, samurai!" he cried triumphantly between peals of laughter.

Slowly, the shock and horror of realizing what I had done began to melt away into stinging sorrow as I stared at Chimitsu's crumpled form. My katana slipped from my hand and clattered to the stone as I hurried over to her, kneeling down to cradle her gently in my arms, trying to see if there was still some hope that I could save her. She felt light as a feather, almost as if she was not there at all, her lifeforce rapidly fleeing its wounded mortal form.

_Hoshi wo michibikanai ka(The stars do not show)  
Yowaru wa hajimatta akari(Light has begun to weaken)  
Nanimo iranai kimi ga(Nothing is as necessary as you)  
Waratte soba ni ireba ii(Laughing at my side and if you listen good) _

Ever so slowly, her eyelids fluttered and she looked up at me, her breaths coming shallowly between her full lips. The lively sparkling of her eyes was fading rapidly, but even in her dying moments, she still had incredible strength within her tiny form. Weakly, she reached up and caressed my jaw with her left hand, smiling faintly.

I reached up and gently took her hand in mine, swallowing hard as I felt the stinging ache of despair rising in my chest.

"Chimitsu-chan...yurusu..."2 I choked out through the raw emotion that tightened in my throat.

"Genji-kun...there's...nothing for you to be sorry for. Neither...of us...knew what was happening until...it was...too late. Aku...cast an illusion...on us both."

"I...I do not understand..."

"We...saw each other...as Aku. He...projected himself onto us...so that we would see...the other as him...and...kill each other for him. You shouldn't...be sorry for the mistake. I should be the one...sorry for...not recognizing...his spell sooner. Heh...now...I guess...I'll pay for my mistake."

_Tooi natsu kutai de(The distant summer wants to come in)  
Aruita hamabe suwari(And sit on the beach it used to walk)  
Okizari ni shita yasashisa go(Having left for giving kindness)  
Hiroi atsui yo(It's spacious and deep) _

Her breathing became even more labored then and I felt the panic rising in my throat again. She was slipping away so fast and there was so much I wanted to say to her, but could not find the right words. Aku continued to watch patiently with a twisted gleam of enjoyment in his eyes, causing a spark of hatred to ignite in my chest and mix with the sorrow I was feeling.

"Chimitsu-chan...onegai3...do not talk. Stay still. Let the energies do their work." I begged quietly.

"It's...too late for that...and we both know it. My energies are...too strained...to repair the wound. It's time...for me...to be reborn and...the Light Elemental Circle...restored to its proper course."

"Do not say that. There is still time for..."

Her hand slipped from mine and she lightly pressed her fingertips to my mouth, hushing me. I gazed down into her eyes, blinking away the tears that threatened to roll down my cheeks at the sight of her gently shaking her head at my words. I did not want to lose her, not now, not after all we had fought so hard together to accomplish.

_Daremo ga tooku de barado(Everyone is in the distant ballad)  
Kyou mo kitteiru(And listening today)  
Samayou kokoro wo dakiyoseru(So that the wandering heart embraces)  
Kaze no you ni(The wind) _

I could no longer speak, the emotion choking the words off in my throat before I could say them. I squeezed my eyes shut tightly before the tears fell and turned my head slightly to kiss her palm. She was growing so light and her skin was becoming cool to the touch as she slipped further and further away from me.

More stinging, painful sorrow burned in my chest as I remembered what I had said to her just moments before we had set out into battle. A promise that I had sworn to keep no matter what and had been broken by the hand of the demon we had sought for so long. A part of me felt that it was my fault, too, that the promise had been broken, but it was too late for regrets now as I quietly remembered what we had said to each other...

_"I hope we make it out together." she murmured to me, leaning up for a warm, desperate kiss._

_"We will, Chimitsu-chan...I promise you that."_

We had sworn to each other that we would both make it out of this fight alive and see this world free together, but now it seemed that Fate had sought fit to prevent it from ever becoming reality. I slowly opened my eyes and gazed down at her, seeing tears in her darkening emerald eyes. And still, despite the sorrow and pain she had to be feeling, she still smiled.

_Hitori dake mitsume(Only one person stares at)  
Muzukashii samashiteiru(The difficult awakening)  
Jidai ga kawatteku you ni(The next era is changing so that)  
Kokoro wa kawananai(The heart is not carried away by a current) _

Despite her fading lifeforce, despite the demon laughing hideously all the while, I could still feel a warm benevolence from her. It was this gentle kindness that had drawn me to her and was also what made me fall so passionately in love for the first time in my lonely, isolated life. Even though these past few months had passed so quickly, I could no longer imagine life without her at my side, smiling cheerfully at almost everything she could find to smile about in life.

With each second that ticked by, I knew that she would soon be gone and I would lose my chance to tell her one last time just how much she meant to me, even if I had difficulty in telling her before. I would not falter this time, even if it was the last chance I had, and I leaned down, kissing her tenderly as the tears trickled from her eyes. She lightly responded, just barely brushing her soft lips against my own, hardly having the strength left in her for even one last fleeting kiss.

"Chimitsu-chan...ai shiteru..." I whispered as we slowly broke apart.

"Minamoto-chan...eien...ni...ai...shite...ru..."4

Our eyes met for one last brief second before her eyelids slipped closed and her head lolled to the side as a soft sigh escaped her lips. Her hand slid from my face and landed in her lap with a quiet plop as the last of her lifeforce slipped away. I gazed at her limp form, hoping that she would open her eyes again, but I knew that they had closed for the last time.

"Chimitsu-chan..." I whispered hoarsely, pulling her tightly against my chest.

I pressed my face into the soft strands of gold silk that had gathered at her neck when she had fallen, muffling a quiet sob that I could no longer hold back. A single, solitary tear slipped down over my cheek and disappeared within her hair, but I refused to allow any more to fall. She began to feel lighter and I tried to hold her tighter, but realized that her body was fading away into a swirl of white feathers that danced about a ghostly breeze and then disappeared altogether, leaving me there on my knees in anguish.

_Daremo ga tooku de barado(Everyone is in the distant ballad)  
Kyou mo kitteiru(And listening today)  
Samayou kokoro wo dakiyoseru(So that the wandering heart embraces)  
Kaze no you ni(The wind) _

Aku's laughter finally died away as I rose up on my feet, blankly staring at the spot where Chimitsu had fallen. Tears welled up in my eyes and I swallowed hard as I bent down to reclaim my fallen katana, knowing that there was one last thing that had to be done, no matter how much it hurt to think about her now. I tightened my grip upon the handle of my katana as the tears began to fall freely and began to let the sorrow consume me, feeling an anguished cry begin to rise in my chest.

_"CHIMITSUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"_

* * *

1 _Genji_ - A reference to the Japanese classic, "A Tale Of Genji". This is my take on what Jack's real name is. Minamoto is his last name. His first name is Genji. Chimitsu gasped out his real name with her dying breath.  
2 _"Chimitsu-chan...yurusu..."_ - "Chimitsu-chan...forgive me..."  
3 _"Chimitsu-chan...onegai..."_ - "Chimitsu-chan...I beg of you..."  
4 _"Minamoto-chan...eien...ni...ai...shite...ru..."_ - "Minamoto-chan...I...love...you...for...ever..." 


	54. Gojuusan: Endgame

_"CHIMITSUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"_

As my anguished howl tore through the air, I felt a sudden hot surge of power race through my very soul, filling every pore of my being. I let the cauldron of emotions boiling in my chest consume me, feeling everything from sorrow and hatred to one last burst of passionate love for Chimitsu surge through my veins. Yet, as I let go of my emotions and let them fly into the wind, something incredible and strange all at the same time happened.

With this agonized, passionate release of emotion that I had kept buried within the depths of my heart, a spark ignited the power that slept within my soul. A flash of bright light burst from the Star of the Elements and illuminated the room as I began to feel my body relax. I felt my wounds close and my energies restore completely as a warm, almost hot, aura surrounded my body.

The voices of Chimitsu and her four sisters echoed within my soul as the white armor that had appeared upon me in the Light Elemental's castle returned, covering me from head to foot. It no longer felt alien to me as it had the first time I had donned it, but felt incredibly familiar and comfortable, as if it was an extention of myself like my katana. I took in a slow, deep breath, and then let it go as the transformation completed itself, opening my eyes.

Aku stood there in his demon form, watching me with a hardened, hateful look in his eyes at the sight of my new transformation. I stared back at him, feeling a cold resolve to see him destroyed burning in my chest as our eyes met. He had taken everything I cared most about in this world and destroyed it, all for the sake of wearing me down until I broke. I had stubbornly resisted, refusing to feel anything until I was either alone or the demon had been destroyed, but now, Chimitsu's death was more than I could bear and I had snapped, but I was far from broken.

I closed my eyes and tightened my grip on the handle of my katana, thinking about everyone who had been taken from me by this demon Elemental. Mother... Father... Duncan... Deidre... Angus... Maeven...all sacrificed by the demon in order to draw me out and wear down my emotions until I could no longer take it. I thought about Chimitsu and how she always seemed to have a smile on her face, how she could always make me smile, even when I did not feel like I had any reason to smile until I saw her do so first.

Opening my eyes again, I watched as Aku swirled into a pillar of shadow, melting down into his shorter Elemental form. He wore an armor in a similar style to my own, except that it was black and gray colored instead of white, and his floor-length hair was pulled back in its long ponytail. His bisento was not at his side and it was clear that he intended to fight with the dark twin of my katana that Mad Jack had commonly used to fight with.

"I see you have a new form, samurai. Tell me, can you truly control the power of the Star of the Elements or was that little transformation merely a show?" he asked snidely.

"Attack me and find out, Aku."

He moved into a ready position with his katana in front of him, ready to leap at me and strike. I moved into a similar position, holding my katana firmly in my hands, ready to finish this once and for all. I felt my muscles tense as I pulled back, ready to run in and attack first before had a chance to initiate the battle.

I closed my eyes for a brief second and then dashed forward with a roar, thinking of everyone who had given their lives to fight this battle alongside me. I thought of how Chimitsu and I had dug graves for the Scotsman's clan with our own two hands, how they never had a chance to see this day or fight with us. I leapt in towards Aku with my katana raised, determined to fight as hard as I could for the sake of those who had died and those who lived with even the tiniest spark of hope in their hearts...or die trying.

Aku met my charge as I rushed in, swinging left, right, left, right, left right, over and over again as we darted about the room. He roared and brought his katana down hard onto mine, pushing me almost down onto my knees, which only gave me the leverage I needed. I pushed upwards hard with all my strength and shoved him back, knocking him back onto his rear.

Without missing a beat, he flipped back up onto his feet like a cat and lashed out with his left leg, knocking my katana out of my hands. I watched it skitter across the stone and almost over the edge before ducking out of the way of his next strike. I darted about, narrowly avoiding his expert strikes, feeling the breeze pass by me with each strike.

I had to reclaim my katana or I would not be able to send him back to the dark pit from which he had come, but getting over to it would be tricky. He was quick and relentless with centuries of practice fueled by a hateful desire to see me dead and would not willingly give me the chance to get it back. I would not allow myself to give up and would have to patiently wait for the proper opening in which to make my move.

I watched his shoulders carefully, using their movements as a guide to what he was going to do next a split second before he did it so that I could get out of the way. He brought the blade up in an attempt to cut me down, but moved too slowly and I caught his wrist as he brought it down before it could strike me. I twisted his arm around painfully until he dropped the weapon, then spun him around and thrust my hand out into his chest, sending him flying backwards onto the floor.

Not wanting to waste a second, I turned and hurried to reclaim my katana, hearing him pull himself back up onto his feet. I could hear him take pursuit and dove for my blade, skidding across the polished floor, only to slide right over the edge of the cliff. Reflexively, I snapped a hand out and caught ahold of the edge, keeping myself from falling to my death in the pit below.

Breathing a momentary sigh of relief, I knew that Aku was not going to waste the opportunity to strike me down while I attempted to climb back up and sheathed my katana so I could do so before he struck. Unfortunately, trying to get a grip on a polished floor was hardly easy and he stood overhead while I was trying vainly to get a proper grip.

A wicked laugh echoed in the room as he watched me trying to keep from falling to my death, obviously amused in seeing me in such a precarious position. I watched helplessly as he raised his katana overhead to strike me down or force me to drop to my death, desperately searching for a way to escape. I could not possibly die like this so quickly, not after fighting so long and hard for this moment.

As the blade began to slice downwards through the air, I felt words forming in my mind and a power welling up within my heart. Immediately, I knew what to do to escape and hardened my expression as I gazed up at him. He either did not notice or did not seem concerned, but that did not matter to me in the least.

I held on with my left hand and thrust my right hand up at him with its palm open, crying out in that odd language that Chimitsu and Maeven had spoken those few scant times in my presence. Instantly, a burst of frost shot from my hand and into his face, startling him back a few feet with his hands rubbing madly at his eyes. Ignoring him and his fallen weapon, I pulled with all my strength and swung my legs back up over the edge of the cliff, first one and then the other.

I backed away from him and redrew my katana while he recovered, snarling and cursing in the same Elemental language I had just spoken as he brushed the freezing cold frost from his eyes. He summoned his katana to his hands again and roared as he charged in again in full force, swinging violently at me over and over again. Sparks flew through the air as the mystical blades scraped against each other, igniting a clash of opposing magical forces.

First one side and then the other he swiped at me, trying to slice me in half or break my katana, whichever came first. I backed up along the stone floor, blocking each violent strike with moves I did not realize I even knew and had never used before. I snarled as his blade bit into my upper arm and took my own swipe at him, cutting deeply into his forearm near the wrist, burning him painfully.

We took a few steps back away from each other and I could feel the pain of the gash in my arm. It did not feel like an ordinary cut, but like I had been struck with a poisoned blade. Now that I was using the full power of the Star of Elements and my own heightened Elemental abilities, it seemed that the clash of essences affected me as well.

Pushing the pain down, I held my katana in a ready position again before we charged at each other, slashing violently at one another. Several times he struck me in quick succession, scratching stinging, poisonous wounds across my skin along my arms and legs. One particularly vicious strike struck the breastplate of my armor just below where the Star itself was set, sending sparks flying and leaving a deep scratch in the white metal.

I growled and ducked his next strike, returning it with one of my own aimed low towards the vulnerable part of his leg. My blade struck him deeply, tearing into the unprotected flesh just above the back of his knee. Shadowy blood coated my blade and splattered on the floor as my blade made its pass, drawing a loud, gutteral snarl from his lips as he stumbled away.

He took a moment to regenerate the wound and I used the opportunity to momentarily catch my breath before we sprang at each other once again. Sweat beaded on my forehead as I slashed at him, sending him backwards across the floor a few feet before he returned the attack. I could sense the wall coming up behind me and knew that I would have to make use of it if I was to break free of him and get a better opening.

His katana came down onto mine again and I blocked before slashing upwards, catching him across the face just barely beneath his eye. Without wasting a second, I turned and dashed towards the wall, leaping up towards it as he slashed down, narrowly missing my back. I pushed off the wall as his katana bit into the stone floor and vaulted myself around to kick him in the side of the head.

I rolled to the ground as he slammed into the floor, springing to my feet and holding my katana ready. He took a moment to shake his head and pull himself up onto his knees before he pulled himself all the way up onto his feet again, still quite stunned from the blow. He took in a shaky breath and then hardened his expression, growling through clenched teeth as he charged at me yet again.

I let him push me back a few feet again before shoving him away, circling a bit before our blades met again. Sparks showered us both as we made our way across the stone floor, stinging on the rare occasion they made contact with our skin. The mixture of magical essences did not recognize either of us and stung us both painfully, leaving tiny scorch marks upon our bare skin.

More cuts scraped their way across our bodies, leaving bloody trails streaked across our skin and dents in our armor. I could feel bruises forming beneath my armor in places where he had struck me hard enough to jar the metal against the bones of my arms and legs. My left wrist was becoming stiff from a painful side strike and I began to wonder whether or not it was broken or merely sprained.

A painful snarl escaped my lips as his katana crashed down onto mine again, jarring my injured wrist until I was certain I heard something snap. I was still able to move it after that, but the sensation was very numb, almost like it was detached from the rest of my body. I knew for certain at that point that it had been broken, but pushed the pain down, pushing him away once again with all my strength.

He stumbled back for a moment before charging at me, his katana raised up and to the right side. I tensed and waited for him to draw close, then dropped onto my back as he struck, his katana hitting nothing but air. With his body off balance, he could do little to stop his forward momentum and toppled forwards.

I brought my feet up and caught him before he fell on top of me and then kicked up, throwing him backwards over my head. The moment he began to sail through the air, I flipped back onto my feet and turned to watch him bounce a few times along the polished floor. He came to a stop laying on his left side, his katana lying on the floor just beside him a few feet away.

"Is that all you got, demon?" I snarled.

Slowly, he began to stir and pulled himself onto his knees, using his katana as a support to bring himself back up onto his feet. I could feel the sweat stinging in the many cuts that crisscrossed my body, but refused to allow myself to feel the pain until this was all over. I watched him carefully, waiting for him to make his next move, knowing that he was wearing down as quickly as I was by now.

A low chuckle escaped his throat before he thrust out his left hand, firing off a hellish, blood red magical orb at me. I swung at it with my katana and effectively sliced it in two with a shower of sparks as it vaporized into nothingness. Clearly, I had surprised him by not taking it directly in the chest as he had hoped, but I had Hirame's quick warrior reflexes to thank for that.

"Come on, Aku. We both know that you can do better than that. If you do not fight with all your worth, then you have already lost." I admonished him warningly.

An unearthly roar echoed throughout the cavern loud enough to rattle a few pebbles down from the ceiling as he began to fire off more of the red orbs in quick succession. One by one I sliced them in two, finding the demon to be so very slow in throwing them, blinded by his hatred and anger. Sparks flew through the air like a hellish fireworks display as my blade sliced into them until he grew frustrated and stopped the attack.

Both of us were tired and panting, but neither one of us were willing to be the first to give up, knowing that to give up this time was certain death and that was not an option for either of us. I slowly sheathed my katana at my side and waited for him to throw another magical attack my way. I could feel the Elemental power burning in my veins, just waiting to be released from my fingertips.

We circled each other carefully, watching the other's eyes and shoulders for any sign of attack. I had already accessed the power twice, once while I was dangling from the edge of the pit and the second in the form of an increase in my fighting skill. Hirame was the Metal Elemental and embodiment of the principle of Defensive War, which explained why I was able to use techniques I had never seen before in my life, much less knew I possessed.

It was so easy for me to feel the power in my veins now, as natural to me as breathing, even though I had never spoken the Elemental language before in my life. Indeed, I had not been able to understand it the few times I had heard Chimitsu and Maeven speak it prior to attuning the Star of the Elements to my unique power. It seemed that it harmonized with my heart itself, being released with my anguish upon Chimitsu-chan's death and releasing the blast of frost when I had wished to keep Aku away from me long enough to pull myself back up over the edge of the cliff.

Now I understood what the Light Elemental had meant when she said that I would know how to use it when the time finally came for me to do so. In facing Aku in this final fight, the only thing that could possibly help me win was my harmony with the Star's power to awaken my full Elemental potential. It had transformed me into this new form that was as close to a pure Elemental as a mortal like myself could ever get with powers necessary to match those a true Elemental.

Without such immense power, I would not be able to hold him back, let alone defeat him.

Another red-hot orb shot from his hand and rocketed towards me with speed that would have been too much for any mortal to follow. Yet, it seemed incredibly slow to me and I had plenty of time to react, depending on which power I wanted to use. As it closed in, I remembered what the Light Elemental had told me in warning about using like powers on like powers and knew that a Fire power would do nothing to stop it.

If these powers were anything like how Elemental forces worked in everyday life, then a Wind power would do nothing but make it worse. That meant that I would have to use a Water power to cancel it out or Earth to smother it in midair. I chose Water, throwing out a hand and flinging a jet of water at the incoming orb, turning it into a blast of steam that disappeared in a wisp of wind.

Aku snarled in frustration and rapidly fired off one orb after another in quick succession, first Fire, then Ice or Water. I followed the Elemental powers easily, returning the attacks with their proper opposite Element, sending steam billowing into the air. He tried again with vicious ferocity and speed, only to find that I was able to easily match him and cancel out each attack with their opposing Element.

I waited patiently the moment he halted the fire and ice attacks, watching him circle me, studying me and the amulet that was set into the breastplate of my armor. His brow was creased with frustration, trying to figure out how I could have learned to use the Star so quickly and what attack he could use to get past my defenses with. So far, using Water and Ice or Fire had proved useless since I could call upon one or the other to cancel out the attack, depending on which he used.

He could still use Earth, Air, or Metal attacks, but no doubt he knew that I would be able to figure out how to cancel those out as well.

Finally, he lashed out with his right hand, firing off a silvery attack that I tried to counter with a fireball. Unfortunately, the attack was not Ice or Water of any kind, but Metal, taking the form of razor sharp shuriken that sailed through my fireball with ease. I hissed as they tore across my arms, legs, and face, narrowly missing my eyes and throat although one managed to imbed itself in my left arm near the elbow.

With a growl, I tore it out and tossed it aside, ignoring his sadistic grin as I waited for the next attack. Again he fired off a round of deadly shuriken, only this time, I was ready for it and sent an attack of small stones instead of a fireball to counter. Sparks flew as the metal shuriken collided with the stone and shattered into little more than metal crumbs upon the floor.

Over and over again, Aku rapidly fired off the attack, alternating the metal shuriken with sharpened stone formations of his own. I matched him as easily as I had with the Fire and Ice attacks, watching the sparks ignite in midair as the opposing forces collided. No matter how hard or fast he threw his attacks, I was able to block before any of them touched me.

Both of us were wearing down, completely exhausted from the exertion and magical energy drain, but stubbornly refusing to give up for anything. We were going to fight until one of us had been killed or we collapsed from exhaustion and spiritual drainage. Even his centuries of experience could not help him now.

With another roar, he fired off an alternating round of all four Elements, yet even this was easy enough for me to match. Sparks and steam danced in the air, sending drops of sweat rolling down my back beneath the armor. I could tell that his frustration was getting the better of him and knew that desperation could be dangerous, especially where one like Aku had everything to lose by letting one like me survive this encounter.

Finally, he stopped and I took the opportunity to send another fireball his way while he was gathering his wits for another attack. Although slow in his own attacks, he was quick to defend, bouncing it back at me with a wall of stone. Surprised at what had happened when he used Earth instead of Water, I tried to think of what to do to cancel out my own attack.

He took advantage of this momentary surprise on my part and threw his own fireball into my own, even though they were the same Element. The moment the two fireballs collided, they exploded in a blast with enough force to rip the right hip plate off and the left shoulder plate, taking a great deal of my skin with it. I had barely saved my face and torso with a wall of water so that the most the blast did there was heat my skin a painful red shade, but thankfully did not blister.

I fell hard on my back with a groan, feeling almost sick from the sharp, dizzying ache that radiated through my body. This time, I felt my collarbone snap and from the way each breath burned in my chest, I knew that some of my ribs had to be cracked or broken as well. I was beginning to painfully understand why the Light Elemental had warned to not use like Elemental powers on an incoming attack and knew that I had to get up before Aku finished me off.

A loud roar cut the air, followed by the sound of a katana being unsheathed and heavy running footsteps coming in my direction. I rolled onto my back and could see Aku running towards me with his katana drawn and raised overhead, a twisted spark of triumph shining in his eyes. My own katana had been torn off my hip in the blast and now lay beside me, just barely within reach.

Slowly, I reached out and closed my left hand around the handle, pulling it from its scorched and blackened scabbard.

"SHI-NEEEEEEEEEE!"1 Aku roared, leaping in towards me.

The moment he launched himself into the air, I thrust my katana up between us at him, holding onto the handle with both hands. His eyes widened in disbelief as he realized that he could not stop himself now and had made one last fatal mistake. I grunted in pain as my blade pierced him all the way through the chest until he had slid over halfway down and I gave it a sharp twist to the left to make sure it was finished.

"You first." I snarled as his katana slipped from his hand and clattered on the floor.

A thin trickle of shadowy blood escaped one corner of his mouth and his eyes slowly went dark as his lifeforce slipped away from him. Even the Darkness Elemental could not heal around a blade, much less one laced with Metal and Light Elemental magic. With his reserves drained and the blade burning him, it had killed him almost instantly.

I gave another groan and closed my eyes as I attempted to catch my breath, feeling the ache of my wounds seep past the dulling heat of the adrenaline burning in my veins. It only took a second for my katana to feel warm, almost hot, and I opened my eyes again, wondering what could possibly be causing such a reaction with Aku dead. The moment I opened my eyes, a flash of light tore through my room in a delayed explosion of one final clash of essences, the force of which was enough to rocket through the mountain fortress like an exploding star.

Being so close to the magical explosion as I was, my body shot backwards across the floor with such speed and force that I thought for certain I would be torn apart. Debris of all shapes and sizes from the crumbling fortress battered my already battle-worn body as we flew through the air, sending me tumbling head over heels dizzily without any way to stop myself. I collided with the ground with such force that it jarred every last bone in my body and forced the air from my lungs so painfully that all I could do was let myself be tossed about.

Somewhere along the way, I slammed into something cold and hard and after such a heavy fight, I could not handle the impact and was abruptly jolted into a dark oblivion.

* * *

1 _"SHI-NEEEEEEEEEE!"_ - "DIIIIIIIIIE!" 


	55. Gojuuyon: Aftermath

Sometime later, I began to feel a dull ache spreading through my body from all over and was vaguely aware of the crisp scent of grass beneath me. Slowly, I opened my eyes, looking down into the soft emerald green of the meadow outside where Aku's fortress had once stood. I groaned softly and weakly pushed myself up onto my elbows and then my knees, looking around.

The vast, grassy field was quiet without the sounds of fighting, yet I knew that this was the place where the battle had been taking place just moments before. I staggered to my feet and looked around, hoping that the blast had not vaporized everyone when the castle crumbled. I was battered, but alive, so the others had to have survived as well.

Minion and droid parts littered the area just below the hill I had slammed into, yet I could not see what was left of those who had been fighting them while Chimitsu-chan and I had gone on ahead into the fortress. It was so eerily still that I began to fear that they had either perished or had left, thinking that Chimitsu and I had died in the blast that had taken the mountain fortress. I squeezed my eyes shut tight and quietly bowed my head, finding that the moment of knowing that Aku had been destroyed was not as happy a one as I had imagined it would be.

It just did not seem the same without Chimitsu-chan and the others to celebrate this moment with me.

Slowly, I raised my head and looked over to the side, finding that my katana had been flung out of the imploding fortress at the same time I had. Miraculously, it had survived intact, buried a third of the way up the blade in the dirt like some kind of road marker. I walked over to it and tugged it free with a soft grunt of pain, feeling the dull ache pulse along my arm from my broken left wrist up towards my shoulder.

My white armor had been torn apart by the blast, leaving the remaining hip guard hanging by a very loose hinge and the chestplates. Almost everything else had been torn clean off, baring the nasty wounds and shredded skin that had been left behind. The boots were intact, but one gauntlet had been completely destroyed, revealing two broken fingers on my right hand, although I hardly felt any pain from them.

I weakly held onto my katana since I knew the scabbard had been destroyed in the blast, looking around and trying to decide where to go now. The battle was over and this planet was free, but I had yet to find a way home when the demon who had sent me here was dead. Without a way home, I no longer had a purpose in this futuristic world and would be directionless until I found one or the other.

First I would need medical help in repairing my many injuries, but that was the furthest thing from my mind at that point. Even though I should have been overwhelmed with happiness and a feeling of triumph at my victory, all I felt was sorrow. So many people had given their lives in this fight that it did not feel like much of a victory to me.

All I could think about now was my beloved Chimitsu and how she had begged me at first to take up this fight for her as well as myself. She could not end it or avenge her sisters, but knew I could and wanted me to help her do what she could not do on her own. She had done so much to ensure this day would come and now she would never be able to see it.

A part of me wanted to cry in mourning for her death, to let out all the emotion I had been unable to release when she had died, but I could not find the will to do so. I felt empty and hollow inside, as if a vast hole had opened in my heart where Chimitsu-chan had once been. It hurt so much to think about how she had gone down fighting and died on the end of the same blade that had killed Aku.

It had been a freak accident, a skilled manipulation on Aku's part, but I still could not help but feel a bit responsible for her death. Instinctively, I wanted to commit seppuku and avenge her with my own life, but somehow, I could not bring myself to do it. When I had first arrived here, it would have been so easy to do it, but now I did not see any point to it.

I learned long ago that even death did not change what had been said or done, no matter how much I wished it to. Nothing would be gained with my death and it certainly would not bring my lover back from death. It would not bring any of them back and somehow, that hurt me much more than the losses itself.

With a heavy sigh, I hung my head again, too overcome with grief to be able to move onward, much less celebrate.

"By Jove, boys, look at this!"

Slowly, I opened my eyes and straightened, turning around towards the voice with its cultured accent. There was no mistaking it or the joy that it had carried. Despite the sorrow that weighed heavily upon my heart, I could not help but feel even a bit of joy at hearing such a familiar, friendly voice.

There, a few feet behind me stood what was left of those who had been fighting the droids and minions, with Rothchild at the head. All of them had been battered and worn from the long hours of fighting, but they were alive. I gave a weak smile upon seeing them, happy to see that they had managed to hold out as long as they had against all those minions and droids.

The group, while still large, seemed smaller than before, with its remaining members showing various degrees of injury. One of Rothie's ears had been torn almost clean off and the Wildman was nursing what was obviously a broken arm. Several Woolies limped along, while others supported one another as they made their way over.

Seeing them all alive and in relatively good shape made me feel a little bit better, as if perhaps our efforts had truly been worth it, but I still felt pained to know that a good number of them would never see this. It was far from fair and I knew it, but it did not make it hurt any less. Even though I ached inside for Chimitsu and those who had been lost, I did not want to put a damper on everyone's celebration and forced a smile, hoping that I would be able to conceal my pain until I was alone.

They crowded around me, each wanting to hug me or at least touch the man who had just brought down the Shogun of Sorrow himself. Normally I would have only been mildly uncomfortable with the attention, but being physically wounded and emotionally drained, it was all I could do to keep from losing my temper. I could not understand what they were saying when they were speaking all at once like they were, but it was Extor who finally silenced them.

"For cryin' out loud, give the boy some breathin' room, huh? Can't you people see he's hurt? We all owe him a great deal right now, but he's been through a lot and needs time to recover. Takin' out someone like Aku's not the easiest thing in the world, y'know." he snapped.

Chastized, the group moved away from me, allowing him to approach without obstruction. I felt relieved and grateful for his intervention, happy that they wanted to thank me, but definitely needing my space considering the injuries that were making themselves known with a vengeance. Extor looked me up and down, noting my wounds with a quiet shake of his head, a look of amazement on his face.

"We need to get you back to my compound, Jack. It's a wonder you're still alive with all those injuries. I know you're probably anxious to begin your search for a way back to your home time, but you're not going anywhere for awhile, not until you're healed up." he gently scolded.

He pressed a few buttons on the computer mounted on his wrist, bringing over one of the few hovercraft that had not been destroyed in the battle and letting it come to a stop on the grass beside us. The hatch opened with a metallic whine and he led me inside to sit on a makeshift cot while Rothie drove. I reluctantly let one of the Canines take my blade and respectfully watch over it while I allowed Extor to inspect my wounds.

I hissed sharply through my teeth as he probed at my broken wrist, even though he had barely touched it. I did not have to be a modern medical expert to know that it was going to take a very long time to completely heal. He shook his head and inspected my broken fingers, cuts, and my ribs, determining that they were likely badly bruised and cracked due to the armor I wore.

He gave it a light tap and ran his fingertip along the scratch that had been left just below where the Star of the Elements rested, left there by Aku's katana. The Wildman had come over and sat beside us, staring curiously at the armor I was wearing. I gave another sharp hiss as Extor reached my right ankle, which I only now noticed had begun to swell within its boot.

"By all means, Jack, you should be dead. We saw Aku's fortress implode and the shockwave pass through the area. Nobody could have survived it without taking shelter and I can safely assume that you were right in the immediate area when it happened. I don't think I'll ever be able to explain it. You're a living miracle, y'know that, boy?" he asked.

"I think the only miracle would be this armor. You are right, I should be dead from the blast and my injuries, but I do not feel all that bad. Not like I should be after such a battle."

He gave my armor another light tap and traced a fingertip along the metal gauntlet that remained, his eyes curiously studying it.

"This metal...I've never seen such an alloy before. Where'd you get this armor, Jack?" he asked.

"I...it is hard to explain. It is not any kind of armor you could get anywhere in this world. It is an Elemental armor and, I suppose you could say it is a reflection of the strength of my heart."

"What do you mean?"

"The Star of the Elements. That is what its secret is. It reacts to its owner's heart and releases its power accordingly. To someone with a weak heart, it would seem powerless, but to someone with a strong, pure heart, its power is matched only by a true Elemental. That was why I was the one meant to wear it...I was the only one with enough strength and purity to bring out enough power from it to match Aku's natural Elemental strength."

The two of them gave each other a look before glancing back at me with a thoughtful look in their eyes. They had seen the Star of the Elements around my neck before we had gone out to battle, but it had lost its necklace form and set itself into my breastplate when I had donned the armor. It would be a simple matter of will to allow the battered armor to return to its place within the Star and allow the Elemental amulet to revert to its usual form.

I closed my eyes and with a soft sigh, I allowed myself to finally relax and felt the armor begin to disappear in a soft, warm aura. It melted away and left me in only my fundoshi, the Star of the Elements cool and slightly weighted against my broken collarbone. Without the Elemental powers sustaining me, I began to feel the full extent of my injuries and gave a whimpering moan, feeling every movement bring fresh pain to my raw nerves.

Within seconds, both Extor and the Wildman were helping me to lay down on the makeshift cot, pulling a blanket up around my shoulders to keep me from getting too cold. I felt a little bit better laying down, but I still ached from the beating I had been dealt at Aku's hands. Extor brought over a first aid kit and began to patch up some of the more minor wounds as best he could, trying to keep me comfortable until we could reach his compound where he could administer better medical care.

My body hurt so much that I barely even acknowledged the light sting of a needle pushing into my arm as he injected a painkiller into my system. I was doing all right without it, but as exhausted as I was, I welcomed the numbing feeling that swept through my body, deadening the ache I was feeling. I knew I was a mess, but now that the war was over, I could finally take the time to relax and heal completely.

I lay there quietly without protest as Extor stitched and bandaged me up, feeling the hollow pain of sorrow return with the deadening of my physical pains. I tried to stay quiet and remain expressionless, to keep them from knowing how much I hurt inside so they would have plenty of reason to keep celebrating their freedom, but I just could not do it. I did not cry, I never cried in the presence of others, but neither of them had missed the sorrowful, defeated look in my eyes.

"Why Friend look sad? Big demon gone. Friend have much to celebrate. Shouldn't be sad when so much to be happy about." the Wildman stated.

I did not answer and quietly closed my eyes in defeat before the tears began to fall again. I could not say anything, much less scold him when I knew it was not his fault that he did not know what had happened to Chimitsu, but it still hurt. I did have a lot to be happy and celebrate about, we all did, but I did not feel like celebrating with Chimitsu gone.

"Is Friend angry with me?" he asked.

I slowly turned and looked at him, quietly shaking my head.

"No. I am not angry with you. I simply do not feel much like celebrating, that is all." I replied.

A puzzled look crossed his face and he looked to Extor, who had paused for a brief second before taping down a bandage on my shoulder. He looked at me for a moment before I saw that he realized that we were missing someone. I did not know if he realized why Chimitsu-chan was missing, but I could see in his eyes that he noticed that she was gone.

"Jack, where's Chimitsu? She went into the fortress with you, what happened to her?" he quietly asked.

I swallowed hard, having dreaded this moment from the very second I had been reunited with them. I did not want to have to tell them, but if I did not, then they would figure it out sooner or later. It was best to tell them now than to have them ask more painful questions later.

"She...did not make it." I murmured quietly.

"Oh, Jack, I'm so sorry. I know how much the two of you tried to get through this fight alive and what she meant to you."

I refused to look at him, gazing out the window at the open landscape passing us by. Extor took the hint and continued with his work, although I could sense him glancing up at me every so often. The Wildman did not say anything, knowing exactly what I had said and could not find anything to say that would make me feel better, even though I knew that Chimitsu's loss weighed heavily on him as well.

They were all fond of her, almost as fond of her as I had been. She had taken care of all of them while I had been unconscious in that month before the war had begun to snowball into this very moment and they had all been comforted by her compassion and kindness. I knew they would all miss her, but I was not entirely sure they would ever understand just how painful it was for me to lose someone so special.

"If I may...what happened to her?" he asked.

I did not look at him, swallowing back the tears that stung at my eyelids before answering.

"She was struck down in the fight." I replied quietly.

"Aku?"

I slowly closed my eyes, feeling absolutely ashamed of having to tell him that it was not the demon that had struck her down, but me.

"No. I did."

For a moment, the shock was so thick in the air that it almost choked me. Silence permeated the room for a few seconds before Extor returned to his work in setting my broken fingers. I did not protest at all, even though it hurt like hell, not even bothering to open my eyes to look out the window.

"You? Why on earth would you kill Chimitsu?" he asked.

"It was a terrible, freakish accident. Aku cast an illusion on us so that we saw each other as him and we fought. He was hoping we would simply finish each other off, but it was Chimitsu who fell first and died upon my blade."

Neither of them spoke for the longest time after that, understanding now why I was so distraught over her death. It was one thing to watch your dear lover fall in battle, but it was a completely different matter when they died upon your weapon at your hands. The only comfort I could take out of the whole situation was knowing that at least Chimitsu herself had known it was an accident and had forgiven me moments before she died.

I choked back an inaudible sob when I realized that I had not told her I had forgiven her for attacking me, but knew she had to know. She had to know in her heart that I did not blame her for attacking me when it was Aku who had manipulated us both. At least he finally paid in spades for the hell and torment he had brought upon this world and its innocent people and in a way, that, too, was a small comfort to me.

My family had finally been avenged after so many centuries and honor was restored to me. I could once again call myself Minamoto Genji, but somehow, after all this time here in the future as Jack, the name had grown on me. I had forbidden people from learning my real name for so long that it was almost easier for me to answer to Jack than Genji now, even if Minamoto Genji was the name I had been born with.

I sighed softly and turned my head to stare up at the metal ceiling of the hovercraft, no longer feeling like crying for the moment, but I knew that the moment I was alone, I would indeed mourn. Until I was alone, I would have to distract myself somehow, not knowing how long it would take us to reach Extor's compound again. It had not seemed like long when we went out to fight, but it could have easily been several miles.

There had been so many of us when we had left, but when I had been reunited with the group, I noticed that their numbers had clearly diminished. I knew of Maeven's death while I had been battling Fuki, the Death Elemental, but I had no idea of the number of casualties we had sustained. There were bound to be some, but I had no idea just how many had fallen while Chimitsu and I had been fighting our way up into Aku's fortress.

"Extor, how many did we lose out there?" I asked quietly.

"Jack..."

"How many? I know we lost Maeven, but who else fell?"

He sighed heavily and set aside the roll of medical tape before reaching up and scratching his head nervously.

"About a thousand of us went out there...and...the unofficial headcount is under four hundred upon return." he finally replied.

I squeezed my eyes shut in frustration and tried to keep from losing all control. Six hundred lives had been lost in that last fight and while they had not died in vain, it still seemed to be more than the end result was worth. So many people's lives cut short, fighting for freedom, but dying before they could see it.

"Such a waste of life..." I whispered.

"They fought because they wanted to, you know that. They haven't fought and died in vain. Because they and you fought, Aku was defeated and the goal we've all hoped for has become a reality."

"I know. I know that this is war and casualties are expected and I know that they died fighting for what is right, but they should not have died at all. All of them had something to live for, families, jobs, things that they will never be able to do now."

"Jack, they didn't have much to live for under Aku's rule. They had families and jobs, but they didn't have the one thing that we all cherish and they fought for it. None of us forced them into this, they came of their own free will to fight alongside you and Chimitsu in the hopes that they'd be a part of something big enough to end the demon's rule."

"If only there was something I could have done to help them..."

"There isn't anything you could have done to stop it! If we didn't fight today, if they hadn't died now, then Aku would've killed them later for something less honorable than fighting to restore peace. You couldn't stop them from doing what was right and none of us could, not when we were all doing the same thing."

"If there had only been a way..."

"Let it go, Jack. What's done is done...there's nothing you or any of us can do now."

Without another word, he retreated to the cockpit of the vehicle, leaving me and the Wildman alone with only our thoughts. I sighed heavily and closed my eyes in an attempt to sleep, even though I knew that it would not come easily to me no matter how tired I was. Perhaps I could not do anything to bring those lost back, but there was still something I could do to honor them.

Unfortunately, it was going to have to wait until I healed...


	56. Epilogue: To Wear A Sword

AN: Well, nearly sixty chapters and three years later, this massive, monster of a fic is complete. I hope you all had as much fun reading it as I did writing it, ups and downs, and hiatus and all. It was a blast! And once again, "Distant Ballad" isn't mine, it's from the anime "Ninja Scroll." - TN

Start off with Jack lying in the hovercraft on the makeshift bunk, his face reflected on the window as he watches the landscape pass by.

_Hoshi wo michibikanai ka(The stars do not show)_

More shots of Jack as he's carried into the compound, and also as he lays on an operating table, his injuries being taken care of by Extor and some of the others.

_Yowaru wa hajimatta akari(Light has begun to weaken)_

Later shots of Jack in a hospital room, sitting on the edge of the bed with the Star of the Elements in hand, one arm in a sling. The Star seems to have lost its light, matching the look of sadness upon his face.

_Nanimo iranai kimi ga(Nothing is as necessary as you)_

Zoom in on the Star hanging from its silvery chain from Jack's hand, spinning slowly on the backdrop of the dark shadows of the instruments in the darkened room. Over that backdrop in the background, with the Star in the foreground, we see Chimitsu's smiling, happy face as he thinks of her, missing her terribly.

_Waratte soba ni ireba ii(Laughing at my side and if you listen good)_

A distant shot of Jack still on his hospital bed, head bowed with the Star dangling from his hand, tears trickling down his cheeks.

_Tooi natsu kutai de(The distant summer wants to come in)_

Shots of Jack, fully healed now, and no longer in a hospital room, slowly dressing in a new kimono, tucking his katana into his obi, the Star around his neck.

_Aruita hamabe suwari(And sit on the beach it used to walk)_

Shot of Jack saying goodbye to Extor, the Canines, Woolies, and everyone who was left at the end of the war

_Okizari ni shita yasashisa go(Having left for giving kindness)_

Shots of Jack walking away from the compound into the city, a train ticket in his hand.

_Hiroi atsui yo(It's spacious and deep)_

Shots of Jack boarding the train and sitting down staring out the window, a crowd of people, including some children dressed as him, crowding the platform for a glimpse of him. He looks away, but they don't see the sad, sorrowful look on his face as the train begins to pull away.

_Daremo ga tooku de barado(Everyone is in the distant ballad)_

Shots of Jack sitting in his seat on the train at night, unable to sleep, watching the landscape pass by. You can see some cities and villages in the distance, all in various stages of renovation. Statues of Aku are either lying toppled on their sides or burning.

_Kyou mo kitteiru(And listening today)_

A little bit later, Jack's half asleep, and we see another face reflected on the glass of the window, of Josie Clench. She's dressed more modernly and is less heavily made-up, but it's still her. Jack's eyes open and he sits up straighter, watching her carefully as she sits across from him.

_Samayou kokoro wo dakiyoseru(So that the wandering heart embraces)_

More shots of the two of them, reflected in the glass, talking about something as night slowly turns into dawn. They seem to be having a pleasant conversation, neither one seeming willing to fight again.

_Kaze no you ni(The wind)_

More time passes, the train has stopped at a station in another city. Jack and Josie both stand outside the station on the sidewalk, saying their goodbyes. Josie picks up her suitcases and disappears into the crowd. Jack watches her go before heading off as well, going the opposite way.

_Hitori dake mitsume(Only one person stares at)_

Fade from that into Jack standing outside Duncan's castle, gazing up at it, but does not head inside. Instead, he turns, heading towards a grassy meadow nearby.

_Muzukashii samashiteiru(The difficult awakening)_

We see Jack's approach up the hill from over the tops of makeshift grave markers, coming to a stop before the graves of the Scotsman's clan.

_Jidai ga kawatteku you ni(The next era is changing so that)_

He pauses there for a moment, bowing his head, lips moving, obviously murmuring a prayer before moving on towards one particular grave.

_Kokoro wa kawananai(The heart is not carried away by a current)_

He stops at the grave that seems to stand out from the others and the camera pans down from his face to the gravestone, its text unreadable except for the names "Duncan" and "Deidre". Again, his lips move, intoning a prayer or otherwise saying his goodbyes, tears streaking his cheeks.

_Daremo ga tooku de barado(Everyone is in the distant ballad)_

His goodbyes and prayers said, he turns and leaves the makeshift graveyard, heading back down the grassy hillside.

_Kyou mo kitteiru(And listening today)_

Scene shifts so that you see Jack approaching, the castle and graveyard growing more and more distant in the background.

_Samayou kokoro wo dakiyoseru(So that the wandering heart embraces)_

He pauses in his walking and gazes up at the dusky sky, tears silently trickling down his cheeks. Shift to the sky and a ghostly image of Chimitsu and her sisters all together, all smiling and happy, Jack down off to the lower right corner, gazing up, obviously thinking of them.

_Kaze no you ni(The wind)_

The image fades and he looks back down, eyes closing as a few more tears trickle down his cheeks. Then he simply...walks off.


End file.
